What Makes Italian Pastries Different?

Goloso, your local Italian café located in the heart of Soho, London, are thrilled to bring a taste of Italy to your doorstep with our delicious Italian pastries. Italy is well-known for its food culture (trust us, when an Italian goes abroad, the first question the family ask them is always about the food!), with many considering Italian pastry to be among the best pastry in the world! 

Calling all pastry fans! Have you ever tried authentic Italian pastries? Let’s dive into what makes Italian pastries different from the flakey pastries from other cuisines. Plus, we will discuss why you should consider trying our delicious Italian pastries next time you are in the Soho area. 

List of Italian Pastries 

You can find a wide selection of delicious pastry-based treats to choose from at our Italian pastry shop in Soho. Some of our most popular Italian pastry names include the classic Cannolo Siciliano, a pastry with a sweet, creamy filling. Our range of Italian pastries with ricotta cheese also includes the delicious Cannolo di Sfoglia, available in regular sweet cream, chocolate or pistachio flavours.

Read the complete list of the Italian pastries served at Goloso, Soho, in our previous blog post, Italian Pastries you need to try. 

How Are Italian Pastries Different From French, German and American Pastries? 

Regional Varieties

Italy comprises about 20 micro-regions, with each of these regions also having its own local culinary history. You may know some of the popular areas with holiday-makers, such as Naples, Rome and Sicily. 

Our Italian pastry shop in Soho aims to bring you an array of Italian pastries from numerous regions. You can find multiple provincial variations of our Italian pastries at Goloso, such as the Cannolo Siciliano and the Cannolo di Sfoglia at Goloso. 

Taste 

Italian pastries are often less sweet than other pastry varieties from the continent, and they tend to feature fresh fruit, nuts, and cheese as key ingredients. Additionally, they will be far less sweet than many over-processed pastries found across the pond (which is a good thing!) as they won’t contain any nasties, such as high fructose corn syrup. 

Italian pastry chefs also use simple yet high-quality ingredients that are carefully selected and skillfully combined. 

Italian chefs will use their expert knowledge of combining flavours to enhance the taste of the pastries, including cinnamon, citrus or vanilla. Plus, let’s not forget the most popular flavour at our Italian deli and focacceria in Soho… pistachio! We use pistachio in our cannolo and other sweet pastries with ricotta cream cheese. 

Technique

Italian pastry techniques are quite different from those of French pastry chefs. While French pastries are known for their complex and precise techniques, sweet or savoury Italian pastries often focus on simple yet high-quality ingredients that are combined using years of experience and family recipes. 

When do Italians Eat Pastry? 

One of the most wonderful things about our delicious Italian pastries is their versatility; hey are perfect for breakfast, snacks or lunch and can be eaten in our café with a delicious Italian coffee or taken away to eat at home, work or on the go. Quickfire FAQ About Italian Desserts and Pastries 

What’s the Most Popular Italian Pastry at Goloso? 

Our Italian pastry shop, Goloso in Soho, is proud to offer a wide range of delicious Italian pastries. However, one of our most popular pastries is the classic Cannoli. This pastry is made with a crispy shell filled with sweet ricotta cheese and chocolate or pistachio cream. 

What is Pastry in Italian? 

The word for pastries in Italian is pasticcini (plural) or pasticcino (singular). Pasticcini means the art and craft of pastry-making and it can be used to describe any types of pastries, cakes, and desserts made in Italy or using Italian techniques. 

What are Italian Pastry Shops Called? 

‘Pâtisserie’ is commonly used to describe a pastry shop in the UK and other parts of Western Europe However, this term is often associated with the French and is restricted in some countries, including Belgium, and only master pastry chefs can use this term for their shops. 

Goloso in Soho is also known as a deli and focacceria and Italian café; however, we do also specialise in Italian pastries! 

Who is the Most Famous Pastry Chef in Italy? 

Iginio Massari, Jordi Roca and Salvatore De Riso are among the most famous pastry chefs in Italy (depending on who you ask!). 

Were Croissants Invented in Italy? 

Although croissants are often associated with French (and sometimes Italian) cuisine, the delicious flaky croissant originated from the Austrian Kipfel. The French pastry chefs used puff pastry to create those flakey, light layers we know and love in the UK. 

Order Italian Pastries Online! 

Delivery and takeaway options at Goloso. 

Deliveroo is available from our shop at 55 Greek Street, London (near Shaftsbury Avenue) from 10 am. Or pop into our deli and focacceria from 8 am to 6 pm Monday to Saturday. 

Summary 

Come to Goloso and discover the magic of Italian pastries. Whether you prefer them with a cappuccino at breakfast time (remember Italians don’t drink cappuccinos after 11 am as per our deep dive into Italian coffee culture in the blog post ‘Italian Coffees Explained’), as a mid-day snack, or as a dessert after dinner, our selection of pastries will satisfy all your sweet cravings. 

Italian pastries differ from other cultures’ pastries, such as French pastries, because of our focus on high-quality ingredients and simple yet skilful techniques. Italian pastries offer a unique taste profile and a rich history that is deeply rooted in Italian culinary tradition. Let us take you on a journey to Italy without even needing to leave London. See you at Goloso soon!