Portugal has claimed the top two places in TasteAtlas’ latest ranking of the world’s 100 best desserts. The food and travel guide awarded first place to Pastel de Belém, followed by the closely related Pastel de Nata, two custard tarts that have become symbols of Portuguese cuisine. The annual ranking is based on thousands of ratings submitted by users and celebrates traditional desserts from around the world. According to TasteAtlas, more than 160,000 ratings were submitted this year, of which nearly 108,000 were recognised as legitimate and used to compile the final list.
Although the two pastries look almost identical, their names reflect different histories. Pastel de Belém can only be made at the historic Fábrica Pastéis de Belém in Lisbon using a closely guarded recipe dating back to 1837. The original recipe was created by monks from the nearby Jerónimos Monastery, who used leftover egg yolks in their baking. Similar custard tarts produced elsewhere are known as Pastéis de Nata, which have since become one of Portugal’s best-known culinary exports and are now enjoyed around the world.
While Portugal claimed the top two positions, the ranking shows that excellent desserts can be found across the globe.
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