Bratislavské rožky

The Bratislava roll is a short yeast pastry rolled round a filling of ground poppy seed or walnut and baked into a crescent with a marbled crackled surface, and the two shapes are traditionally distinguished: the poppy one is bent into a horseshoe, the walnut into a fuller crescent, so that you can tell them apart without cutting. They have been made in the city since at least the eighteenth century and hold EU protected geographical indication.

What you actually see

• The two shapes - horseshoe for poppy and crescent for walnut, told apart by form.
• The marbled crust - the crackled surface produced by the egg wash and baking.
• The filling ratio - a high proportion of filling to pastry, which is the point.
• The old bakeries - the city producers who hold the protected designation.

When to go

Year round; bakeries sell daily and they are a standard Christmas and Easter item. They keep for several days, better than most pastries. Cafes in the old town serve them with coffee.

Honest expectations

Mass-produced versions with thin filling are sold widely and are not the protected product. The poppy and walnut fillings are distinct and people have strong preferences. They are dense and one is usually enough.

Nearby

Bratislava's old town cafes are where to find them, and the castle is above.