Pastry is a type of baked food made with a dough of flour, water, and shortening that may be savory or sweetened. Sweetened pastries are often described as bakers confectionery. The word "pastries" suggests many kinds of baked products made from ingredients such as flour, sugar, milk, butter, shortening, baking powder, and eggs. Small tarts and other sweet baked products are called pastries as a synecdoche. Common pastry dishes include pies, tarts, quiches, croissants, and pasties.

There are many different types of pastries, each with a unique flavor and texture. Some of the most commonly known types of pastries include:

• Shortcrust pastry
• Puff pastry or pâte feuilletée
• Choux pastry or pâte a choux
• Flaky pastry
• Phyllo pastry
• Suet crust pastry
• Rough puff pastry

Pastry chefs use different types of pastry dough in French cuisine, including shortcrust, flaky, puff, filo, and choux. A pâte à choux is used to make many French pastries like éclairs, cream puffs, and gougères.

The history of pastries is long, and its believed that pastries and cakes were first made in ancient Egyptian times. The ancient Greeks and Romans enjoyed them too. These pastries would have been quite simple, flavored with seeds, nuts, and honey. It wasnt until medieval times in Europe that sugar was added to pastries. Today, people throughout the world enjoy a huge range of different pastries.

In summary, pastries are a type of baked food made with a dough of flour, water, and shortening that may be savory or sweetened. There are many different types of pastries, each with a unique flavor and texture, and they have a long history dating back to ancient times.