When considering a visit to Vienna, pictures of delicious sweets inevitably spring to thoughts and this text is your information to discovering – and sampling – the perfect desserts in Vienna.
From the world-renowned Sachertorte to the fluffiest Strudels to the Austrian takes on pancakes and crepes, Vienna has no scarcity of scrumptious desserts to maintain your candy tooth happy throughout your subsequent journey to Central Europe.
However earlier than we dive into this listing of the perfect desserts in Vienna, let’s take a look on the Austrian capital’s espresso home tradition, one of many metropolis’s defining options.
Vienna’s Espresso Home Tradition
The historical past of Vienna is so intertwined with its espresso home tradition that the latter was inscribed within the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage listing in 2011. The Viennese had been launched to espresso after the top of the Ottomans’ Siege of Vienna in 1683. Since then, lots of of espresso homes opened within the metropolis.
Aside from merely serving espresso, Vienna’s espresso homes quickly grew to become cultural hubs and assembly spots for writers, poets, and intellectuals who sought refuge throughout the partitions of the elegant espresso homes to put in writing their masterpieces, at all times by the sound of classical music.
A few of Vienna’s oldest espresso homes didn’t survive the relentless passing of time, however those who did nonetheless stand as a testomony to Vienna’s previous grandeur. Amongst them, Café Demel, Café Central, Café Landtmann, Café Hawelka, and Café Sperl stand out.
Alongside these, trendy cafés deal with youthful or different crowds. Irrespective of which espresso homes you go to throughout your journey to Vienna, they’re all the right locations to attempt among the greatest Viennese desserts, paired with a cup of scrumptious Viennese scorching chocolate.
10 Greatest Desserts in Vienna To Strive on Your Subsequent Austria Journey
1. Sachertorte
Sachertorte is the indeniable queen of Viennese desserts. It’s a dense chocolate cake with skinny layers of apricot jam inside, topped with darkish chocolate and sometimes served with unsweetened whipped cream on the facet.
This decadent cake was named after Franz Sacher, the apprentice chef who got here up with the unique recipe for Sachertorte when he was solely 16 years outdated. He did so to impress Prince Metternich and he was profitable. You may attempt the unique Sachertorte on the historic Café Sacher within the coronary heart of Vienna, which has been serving the unique cake for hundreds of years.
In fact, there are a number of different Sachertorte variations to attempt throughout the town. Probably the greatest is the equally well-known Eduard Sachertorte served at Café Demel with a pinch of an intriguing backstory that includes lawsuits between Resort Sacher and Café Demel as to which espresso store serves the unique model.
2. Apfelstrudel
A real image of Austrian culinary experience, Apfelstrudel – or Apple Strudel – might be the preferred among the many greatest desserts in Vienna on our listing. Austrians love Strudel a lot that it’s thought-about one of many nation’s nationwide dishes.
Apple Strudel consists of skinny layers of dough stuffed with a scrumptious apple-based filling with a fragile candy cinnamon taste.
You may attempt Apple Strudel anyplace in Vienna: from historic espresso homes to trendy cafés to bakeries scattered throughout the town. For those who can deal with extra sweetness – who can’t? – you may order your Strudel served with vanilla ice cream, vanilla sauce, or whipped cream.
3. Topfenstrudel
Since we’re with regards to Strudel, one other well-liked variation is Topfenstrudel or Cream Cheese Strudel. The latter consists of skinny and flaky pastry layers stuffed with wealthy cheese custard cream.
Though this Strudel has its origins in Hungary, it’s a favourite amongst Austrians who find it irresistible as a lot because the aforementioned Apple Strudel.
You may attempt Topfenstrudel in any café or bakery in Vienna. Much like Apple Strudel, typically Topfenstrudel is served with vanilla ice cream or vanilla sauce.
4. Kaiserschmarren
Loosely translated into The Emperor’s Mess, there’s nothing messy about Kaiserschmarren, a divine dessert that you just simply can’t miss when in Vienna.
Kaiserschmarren is a sort of scrambled caramelized pancakes topped with icing sugar and served alongside a candy thick sauce product of apples or different fruit. It might not sound a lot, but it surely’s completely scrumptious.
Café Demel is without doubt one of the greatest locations to attempt Kaiserschmarren in Vienna. Whereas there, other than sampling this delectable dessert, you may as well see the pastry cooks in motion as they put together Kaiserschmarren earlier than your very eyes.
5. Punschkrapfen
The bijou and all-pink Punschkrapfen might be essentially the most photogenic among the many greatest desserts in Vienna. However don’t be tricked by its tiny measurement. Punschkrapfen is loaded with sweetness.
This luscious dessert consists of a sponge cake soaked in rum and coated in thick rum and sugar icing. Its origins are misplaced in historical past. Some say it dates again to the Center Ages, others attribute it to the Ottoman Empire, whereas there’s additionally a principle that it was invented by the pastry chef of an imperial courtroom.
Irrespective of how Punschkrapfen got here to be, one factor’s for certain: it’s a must to attempt it. Any Aida Café of a number of that dot Vienna’s streets is the perfect place to attempt Punschkrapfen.
6. Marillenknodel
Talking of bite-sized candy treats, Marillenknodel is one more of the perfect desserts in Vienna that will not impress you with its measurement at first look. Marillenknodel consists of dumplings product of cheese-based dough and stuffed with cored apricots.
Beloved by widespread individuals and emperors alike, Marillenknodel was a favourite of Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria. It’s stated that he requested Marillenknodel even when apricots had been out of season. To the dismay of his cooks, he would insist: I’m the Emperor, and I need dumplings!
These days, his downside could be solved as Marillenknodel is even obtainable within the frozen meals sections of Austrian supermarkets.
7. Vanillekipferl
For those who’re planning to go to Vienna on your Christmas break – which you undoubtedly ought to because the Austrian capital boasts among the greatest Christmas markets in Europe – it’s essential to attempt Vanillekipferl. These crescent-shaped cookies are among the many most beloved Christmas cookies in Europe.
The dough is product of floor almonds (or walnuts) and flavored with vanilla. After the cookies are baked, they’re coated in icing sugar. The form of Vanillekipferl is alleged to have been chosen to commemorate the Austrians’ victory over the Ottomans in the course of the 1683 Battle of Vienna – the crescent cookies symbolize the half moon of the Turkish flag.
You may attempt Vanillekipferl at espresso homes and bakeries. Throughout Creation and Christmas, the cookies are omnipresent all through Vienna.
8. Palatschinken
Palatschinken is the Austrian – and German – tackle French crepes and considered one of Vienna’s conventional desserts.
Eggs, flour, and milk are blended to supply a scrumptious batter that will likely be become tremendous skinny layers stuffed with fruit jam, most frequently apricot or plum jam, then rolled and sprinkled with icing sugar.
You may attempt Palatschinken at any café throughout Vienna, regardless of if it’s one of many fancy historic ones or the extra laid-back institutions, largely frequented by locals.
9. Krapfen
Since we’re speaking in regards to the Viennese takes on desserts which are well-liked all through (Central) Europe, now’s the perfect time to introduce you to Krapfen. The latter is the Austrian model of fried doughnuts stuffed with apricot jam or cream – both vanilla or chocolate.
You may attempt Krapfen at any bakery in Vienna any time of the 12 months. Nevertheless, Austrian doughnuts are at their greatest – and most diversified – in February, because it’s customary for locals to eat Krapfen in the course of the Carnival season that precedes Lent, main as much as Easter.
So, when you occur to be in Vienna for the Carnival celebrations, you may need to indulge in a single or three of those fried masterpieces.
10. Dobostorte
Our final suggestion on this listing of the perfect desserts in Vienna isn’t truly an Austrian creation. Dobostorte is a typical Hungarian sponge cake layered with chocolate buttercream and topped with caramel.
The cake was invented within the late 1800s by a Hungarian chef and it quickly grew to become a favourite of Emperor Franz Joseph I and Empress Elisabeth of Austria.
Due to the cake’s sturdiness by means of transport, Dobostorte grew to become a well-liked dessert all through Central Europe. In Vienna, you may attempt Dobostorte on the best espresso homes and pastry outlets.
Style Vienna’s Greatest Desserts With JayWay
In your quest to pattern essentially the most celebrated Austrian desserts, you’re not alone. Our native groups in Central Europe are the right individuals to advocate their favourite cake outlets, espresso homes, and different locations to attempt among the greatest desserts in Vienna.
So, whether or not you set out on an Austrian journey or a journey to uncover the charms of Central Europe’s magic three – Vienna, Prague, and Budapest – relaxation assured that your journey will likely be sprinkled with sufficient sugar to create the sweetest recollections of Europe.
Born and raised in Athens, Maria’s captivated with journey and storytelling, a mix that makes her perfect for her function as our content material supervisor.
