The Most Challenging Pastries to Make

There are many challenging pastries, but which ones are the most complicated to make? In this post by Great Harvest of Newtonville, MA, we’ll dive into the ones that even expert bakers might be stunned by. 

Chocolate Soufflé

The best way we can describe a successful souffle is as a light and airy dessert with a bit of texture on the outside that melts in your mouth. Chocolate souffle is known by chefs worldwide as a complicated dessert to make because of the precise preparation it takes, plus the timing of putting it in the oven. This dessert is made out of beaten egg whites that help it raise but can easily fall if the preparation or ingredients aren't right.

Croquembouche

Croquembouche means “something that crunches in your mouth” in French, and it’s the perfect description of what this pastry is. A croquembouche is a spectacular dessert made of choux pastry buns put together in a cone shape and covered in caramel strings, which is why it’s a traditional dessert served at French weddings. Making one takes baking skill as you’ll need to make the perfect choux buns, but you’ll also need the finesse to assemble it perfectly.

For delicious and freshly baked bread in Newtonville, MA, look no further than Great Harvest Bread Co. Give them a call today at 617-928-1162 to place an order or visit their website to see their full lunch menu.

Baked Alaska

One of the most challenging pastries we would like to mention is the Baked Alaska. Baked Alaskas can be hard to make because of the elements they include. The three essential elements in a baked Alaska are the cake, the ice cream topping, and a merengue covered, which browns in the oven. This dessert seems impossible to make, only because the last step should mean it melts in the oven, but if you do it correctly, you’ll have a deliciously impressive dessert.

Kouign-Amann

Pastry fans who have tried the Kouign-Amann agree that this is one of the most delicious pastries ever created. On the other hand, bakers agree that it can be challenging to get it right. Kouign-Amann translates to ���butter cake” in Bretton. This pastry should be buttery, dense, salty, and sweet all at once. If you haven’t had the chance to try it, we highly recommend it.

Macarons

A few years ago, macarons enjoyed internet fame, and at the same time, amateur bakers realized how tricky they could be to get right. Macarons are made out of two meringue biscuits with different types of ganache or jam in the middle. The merengues in this pastry can be hard to get right, as they should be airy and melt in your mouth. Still, when preparing them, you can encounter many issues like overbeating the egg whites, baking them at a higher temperature than required, or even not using the right ingredients. All of this makes macarons one of the most challenging pastries to get right.

Looking for bread made with only the best ingredients? Look no further than Great Harvest Bread Co. Their full menu includes bread baked daily and delicious sandwiches. Place your order by giving them a call at 617-928-1162 today!

Baklava

Baklava is a traditional Turkish dessert that dates all the way back to the Ottoman empire. Nowadays, Baklava is a common dessert in Turkish, Iranian, and Arab cuisines. Baklava is usually filled with sweetened honey or syrup and chopped nuts. This dessert is made of phyllo dough which can be hard to work with because of how thin the layers are. The layers can dry out and tear if you don’t work quickly enough.

Baumkuchen

Baumkuchen translates to “log cake” or “tree cake” and comes from German cuisine. This type of dessert gets its name from the rings it gets by cooking each layer separately over an open fire. If you’ve ever tried a Baumkuchen, you might’ve been surprised by how dense but springy it is. Baumkuchen also is a popular dessert in Japan as it was introduced during World War I.

Gateau St. Honoré

Last but certainly not least is the Gateau St. Honoré. Similar to the croquembouche, it’s made from layers of choux pastry, puff pastry, and pastry cream. This pastry is named after the patron saint of bakers and pastry chefs, Saint Honoré. What makes this pastry complicated is the number of elements you need to create to assemble a Gateau St. Honoré.

After reading this post about the most challenging pastries to make, you might be craving some freshly made bread. Luckily Great Harvest Bread Co. has you covered with delicious bread made daily and a tasty lunch menu. Check out their full menu online or give them a call at 617-928-1162 to place your order today!