Argentina Has A Sweet Tooth

Francisco Seubert believes the medialuna is one of Argentina’s greatest pastries. That’s why at his bakery, Atelier Fuerza, they make fresh medialunas every morning, a process which takes days to make. “Instead of making croissants, we make medialunas, not because we don’t like croissants, but we are trying to put value on Argentine identity and products. Medialunas are unique, drenched in syrup, there’s nothing else like it,” he says. 

Argentines eat alfajores at any time of the day. There are many different versions available of this dulce de leche stuffed cookie sandwich: some are made with cornstarch and rolled in coconut, others consist of a chocolate cake and dipped in chocolate. Alfajores can be artisanal or store-bought, and even some regions across the country are famous for their signature cookies.

It wouldn’t be a birthday party in Argentina without a chocotorta. The no-bake cake, which translates to chocolate cake, is so popular due to its simplicity. It’s made with layers of dulce de leche mixed with queso crema (similar to cream cheese), which are sandwiched between store-bought chocolate cookies dipped in brewed coffee or a liquor. In 2020, it was voted Best Dessert in the World by Taste Atlas. 

If there’s one place to go and try ricotta cake, it’s at Gino, which is commonly referred to as the capo de la torta de ricota (master of the ricotta cake). This classic pizzería and cake shop has been open since 1943. During high season, they make up to 1500 cakes every week. 

“There are millions of versions of flan and every family has their own recipe,” says the pastry chef Augusto “Aspi” Mayer, who is known for his version of dulce de leche flan. “It’s an iconic dessert, and it says a lot about our culture and how we eat sweets,” he says. Aspi’s flan has a silky and smooth texture, and he accompanies it with a dollop of vanilla bean whipped cream.

"Bakeries and bakers have recently brought palmeritas back to life," pastry chef Olivia Saal explains. The heart-shaped layered puff pastry is a classic in panaderías and confiterías. "It brings a lot of nostalgia. Everyone LOVES it," she says. 

Italian immigrants brought pastafrola to Argentina and Uruguay, a sweet pie filled with quince paste or jellied sweet potato. It is known for its characteristic covering: thin criss-crossed stripes made from pastry dough with square windows displaying the filling beneath. It’s typically eaten during merienda accompanied by yerba mate. 

Eating ice cream should be considered a national pastime in Argentina. Ice cream shops, called heladerías, serve the sweet treat by the cup, cone, and kilo. Here, the most beloved flavors are dulce de leche, chocolate, and sambayón (zabaione).

The fried dough pastry which originated in Spain and Portugal is widely popular across Argentina. It can be found in most bakeries, and generally, is filled with dulce de leche. Churros Olleros, a churro factory in Chacarita, has been making fresh churros to order since 1963. 

Coquitos are one of pastry chef Stella Panighetti’s favorite sweets. She says it’s similar to a coconut cookie, but it’s very soft on the inside, crunchy on the outside, and drenched in syrup. 

Pastelitos, which tend to be eaten during Argentina’s patriotic holidays, are flaky pastries filled with dulce de membrillo or dulce de batata, jellied sweet quince or sweet potato. It comes in the shape of a flower or pinwheel and is deep-fried.

Also known as queso y dulce, Romeo & Juliet, and Martín Fierro, the vigilante usually consists of cheese paired with sweet jellied membrillo (quince) or batata (sweet potato) paste. In regions like Salta and Mendoza, the cheese is paired with candied cayote, a type of gourd similar to summer squash. Vigilante is also the name for a popular pastry topped with quince paste and pastry cream.

Pastries can be found all across Argentina at bakeries and coffee shops. There are over a dozen different types, and many of the names date back to the 1800s, when a union of anarchist bakers used the names as propaganda against the government and Catholic church.