If you stop by your local Italian bakery and take a look behind the counter, you’ll find plenty of easily recognizable offerings: crunchy, ricotta-filled cannoli; cream-filled, overflowing cream puffs; crunchy cookies and biscotti. But there’s one pastry that always catches our eye, and is quite possibly the most intriguing one of all: the flaky, layered, cream-filled lobster tail.
The lobster tail pastry (so named because it resembles a lobster tail, obviously) is an Italian-American bakery staple, and when properly made it has a light, crispy, crunchy exterior and an interior that bursts with cream when you bite into it. But what are they, exactly, and how are they made? And are they the same as sfogliatelle?
HOW IS A LOBSTER TAIL PASTRY MADE?
As you can probably guess just by looking at it, it’s not easy to make a perfect lobster tail. The process starts by combining flour and water with a pinch of salt, and kneading it into a tight ball of stiff-yet-pliable dough. After resting overnight, it’s rolled out until as thin as possible (using a pasta maker is recommended), coated with a layer of butter or shortening, and rolled up tightly into a long cylinder, comprised of countless layers of dough and butter (this is commonly referred to as a “laminated” dough).
This cylinder is then sliced into inch-thick coins, which are pressed flat into a concave disc. This disc is then hand-formed into a cone, thick choux paste (made by cooking flour, eggs, butter, and sugar until doughy) is piped in, and it’s baked until golden brown and crisp.
While baking, the pastry expands and the individual layers of dough separate slightly, creating those signature flaky layers. After cooling, cream is piped in, and a dusting of powdered sugar is the final touch.
WHAT IS THE FILLING IN A LOBSTER TAIL PASTRY?
The choux paste puffs up in the oven; it’s the same dough that’s used to make cream puffs, so there’s essentially a cream puff inside the flaky shell, providing space for the cream to be piped into.
So what kind of cream is in a lobster tail, exactly? Each bakery has its own specific cream filling recipe, but it’s usually some combination of the trio of fresh whipped cream, Italian pastry cream, and ricotta. When it’s a combination of whipped cream and ricotta, it’s similar to the filling in cannoli. When it’s a combination of whipped cream and pastry cream, it’s referred to as diplomat cream.
IS A LOBSTER TAIL PASTRY THE SAME AS SFOGLIATELLE?
The short answer: no! Sfogliatelle is a traditional Italian pastry that’s different from lobster tails in several ways. If you see lobster tails and sfogliatelle side-by-side, you’ll notice that even though they look similar, sfogliatelle are smaller, about half the size. They also aren’t made with choux paste; the filling is piped directly into the cone of dough before baking.
Also, the filling itself is different: it’s made with durum semolina (similar to cream of wheat) which is cooked down with milk before being cooled and combined with lots of ricotta and flavored with vanilla, cinnamon, and optional chopped dark chocolate and candied orange peel. The semolina adds a fair amount of heft to the finished product.
OUR FAVORITE LOBSTER TAIL PASTRIES
If all this talk of lobster tails has got your mouth watering, you’re in luck! Lobster tails from some of America’s most legendary Italian bakeries are shipping straight to your door.
DIY Lobster Tail Pastry Kit: Mike’s Pastry
Mike’s Pastry is one of Boston’s most renowned Italian bakeries, going strong on the city’s historic North End since 1946. The lobster tail is one of their top sellers, and this DIY Lobster Tail Kit comes with their signature filling – a combination of whipped cream, ricotta, and Italian boiled cream – on the side in a pastry bag, so you can fill them yourself.
Golden Brown & Flaky Lobster Tails: Ferrara Bakery
The anchor of New York’s Little Italy since its founding in 1892, Ferrara Bakery is renowned for its massive variety of Italian pastries. Its sfogliatelle are second-to-none, but don’t sleep on their big, flaky Lobster Tails, which are filled with rich, creamy Bavarian cream.
Sweet & Crunchy Lobster Tails: Carlo’s Bakery
Owned by “Cake Boss” star pastry chef Buddy Valastro, Carlo’s Bakery has been a Hoboken, New Jersey, institution since 1910. These Lobster Tails are a top-seller, filled to the brim with a signature sweet, creamy pastry cream.
This article originally appeared on Goldbelly.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.
More from MediaFeed:
7 Perfect Cheesecakes You Need to Try ASAP, From Dedicant Layered Cakes to Simple, Light Flavors
Whether you’re looking to make dessert the highlight of dinner, indulging during a bad day or breakup, or want to celebrate with a little something sweet, nothing hits quite like cheesecake.
kaorinne/istockphoto
The difference between New York style cheese and regular cheesecake is the proportion of ingredients and the texture. Cheesecake is made with the following ingredients:
- Cream
- Cream cheese
- Eggs
- Sugar
- Vanilla
New York cheesecake uses a larger portion of cream cheese. It is rich and dense. Regular cheesecake uses more cream and has a creamier texture.
There is typically a crust made of graham crackers, but sometimes other cookies like shortbread are used. Some cheesecakes are bottomless or have a cake base layer.
Arx0nt/istockphoto
The most popular cheesecake style is New York cheesecake; however, cheesecakes come in a variety of popular styles, including:
VeselovaElena/istockphoto
If you’ve had cheesecake, chances are it was a New York-style cheesecake. This iconic cheesecake is dense and often served plain or with whipped cream or strawberries. The famous dessert was invented by restaurateur Arnold Reuben in the 1930s. He is the same person who invented the Reuben sandwich.
Some of the most famous cheesecakes are, not surprisingly, made in New York City. New York-style cheesecake flavors include chocolate, caramel and strawberry.
Junior’s Cheesecake’s Junior’s Original Cheesecake
Junior’s Cheesecake in downtown Brooklyn has been making its famously rich and dense cheesecakes since 1950. Their cheesecakes are famous for their signature sponge cake bottoms and delicious taste. Each Junior’s Original Cheesecake is made with cream cheese, eggs, heavy cream, and vanilla.
Ferrara Bakery’s New York Cheesecake
Just across the bridge in Manhattan’s Little Italy, Ferrara has been making its famous New York Cheesecake since 1892. Each 8-inch cheesecake features smooth and creamy cheesecake nestled on a crushed graham cracker crust.
Arx0nt/istockphoto
Chicago Cheesecake has a firm exterior, but inside it’s soft, creamy, and fluffier than New York cheesecake. It was invented by Eli Schulman, founder of Eli’s Cheesecake, at the first ever taste of Chicago in 1980.
Eli’s Cheesecake Company’s Original Plain Cheesecake
Eli’s Cheesecake Company is largely responsible for putting Chicago-style cheesecake on the map. Since 1980, Eli’s has been making wonderful Windy City cheesecakes in small batches. One of their most popular flavors is Original Plain Cheesecake that has a signature all-butter shortbread cookie crust.
Eli’s Cheesecake Company’s Original Favorite Cheesecake Sampler
Take your tastebuds on a terrific taste test with Eli’s Original Favorite Cheesecake Sampler. It includes 16 slices of Original Plain, Candy Bar made with Heath® Toffee Bars, Chocolate Chip, and Strawberry cheesecake.
Arx0nt/istockphoto
Visit any Italian bakery and you will find sublime slices of Italian cheesecake. Italian cheesecake is made with ricotta cheese instead of cream cheese. It’s lighter and airier than traditional and New York-style cheesecakes.
Italian cheesecake was first made by the Romans in the third century BCE. Ricotta cheese was created in Italy and it was the Romans who first used it in cheesecake.
Veniero’s Italian Cheesecake
Old-world Italian bakery Veniero’s Pasticceria & Caffé in New York City’s East Village has been making Italian pastries since 1894. Veniero’s makes its Italian Cheesecake with honey, orange oil, vanilla and plenty of ricotta cheese.
Settepani Restaurant And Bakery’s Italian Cheesecake
Settepani Restaurant and Bakery’s Italian Cheesecake is a hefty 5 lb. masterpiece. Since 1992, the Williamsburg bakery has been whipping up Italian breads, cakes, and pastries with all-natural, organic ingredients.
Montilio’s Baking Company’s Authentic Italian Ricotta Pie
Montilio’s Baking Company has been baking some of Boston’s most beloved French and Italian cakes and pastries since 1947. Each 7-inch Authentic Italian Ricotta Pie is lightly sweetened with vanilla and encased in a thick and flaky crust.
Serhii Ivashchuk/istockphoto
Japanese cheesecake is light and airy and often has a bounce to it. It’s made with cream cheese, eggs, and milk, yielding a soft, melt-in-your mouth and wonderfully creamy mouthfeel.
Japanese chef Tomotaro Kuzuno is credited with creating Japanese cheesecake in the 1960s. He was inspired by German käsekuchen (cheesecake).
Kee Wah Bakery’s Japanese Fluffy Cheesecake
Hong Kong’s Kee Wah Bakery’s Japanese Fluffy Cheesecakes are a mix of sponge cake and cheesecake. Each 5-inch fluffy cheesecake is made with butter, cream cheese, eggs, flour, and sugar.
Keki Modern Cake’s Bouncy Japanese Cheesecake
Keki Modern Cake’s Bouncy Japanese Cheesecake is melt-in-your-mouth cheesecake made with organic grass-fed milk, Amish cream cheese, and organic free range eggs. Each 6-inch cheesecake is stamped with a cute Keki logo and serves 3-4 people.
kaorinne/istockphoto
Just because you are on a special diet doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the best cheesecakes ever from America’s best bakeries. These vegan cheesecakes are made with all the cheesecake taste we love without dairy.
East Side Cheesecakes “The Very Vegan Vixen” Cheesecake
Los Angeles’ East Side Cheesecakes was founded during the pandemic. Julia Tokarz and Gregory Lay use non-dairy ingredients to create their The Very Vegan Vixen Cheesecake. Each 9-inch cheesecake is made with cashews, chickpeas, coconut milk, coconut oil, sugar, vanilla, vegan cream cheese, vegan graham crackers, and vegan sour cream.
Eli’s Cheesecake Company’s Vegan Lemon Raspberry Cheesecake
Chicago’s Eli’s Cheesecake Company makes delicious bite-size, 1-inch cheesecake squares or “cuties.” Their Vegan Lemon Raspberry Cheesecake cuties are made with organic GMO-free tofu from Chicago’s Phoenix Bean, lemon “cheesecake” baked on a layer of lemon cake, and house-made raspberry purée.
vaaseenaa/Istockphoto
Who says you can’t have your cake and cheesecake too? We love cheesecakes that combine rich and fudge chocolate cakes or brownies with luscious cheesecake. It’s a perfect palate-pleasing pairing you just have to try.
PieCaken Bakeshop’s The Red Velvet PieCaken
Since taking Instagram by storm in 2015, Pastry Chef Zac Young’s PieCaken has been a favorite. The Red Velvet PieCaken is a three-layer pie and “turducken of cake” dessert. This red and white sprinkled pie-cake features Chocolate Pecan Pie, Cherry Swirl Cheesecake, and Red Velvet Cake layered with cream cheese buttercream.
Blue Owl Bakery’s Caramel Brownie Cheesecake
Founded in 1983 in Kimmswick, Missouri, Mary Hostetter’s Blue Owl Bakery has been whipping up pies and cakes. Their Caramel Brownie Cheesecake is a chocoholic’s dream with a fudgy brownie bottom and chocolate cheesecake. It’s topped with a trio of brownie pieces, caramel, and pecans.
ekolara/Istockphoto
One of the newest forms of cheesecake was invented in the 1990s in San Sebastián, Spain. As the name suggests, Basque Burnt Cheese has a burnt looking top, but it’s actually caramelized on top because it has been cooked on high heat.
This unique New York-Japanese hybrid, Burnt Basque cheesecake is soft and creamy with a crunchy top that you just have to experience for yourself.
Little Grace Bakery’s Basque Burnt Cheesecake
Since 2020, Little Grace Bakery in New York City has been whipping up custard-y and caramelized Basque Burnt Cheesecakes. Each 7-inch crustless cheesecake is gluten-free and made with fresh, hormone-free milk from Battenkill Valley Creamery.
Chef José Andrés’ Burnt Basque Cheesecake
James Beard Award-winning Chef José Andrés has created the creamiest baked cheesecake with perfectly nutty caramel top. One bite of this Burnt Basque Cheesecake, and you’ll be transported to Spain.
This article originally appeared on GoldBelly.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org
YamisHandmade/Istockphoto
peopleimages/istock
Featured Image Credit: Mike’s Pastry.
