I heard someone say that tebirkes is to Denmark what a croissant is to France. Obviously, I had to try one.
I went to Meyers Bageri, a local chain of bakeries in Copenhagen that seems to be universally beloved.
Tebirkes turns out to be quite croissant-like; it features puff pastry topped with a generous amount of poppy seeds, and brushed with butter and sugar on its interior.
It’s basically a croissant (albeit one with poppy seeds and a sweet filling), and a damn good one at that.
The pastry itself has everything you’re looking for in a great croissant — the exterior is crispy and flaky, the interior is tender and buttery, and it has a really satisfying flavour.
The sugar on the inside gives it a very mild sweetness — it’s not quite a full-blown dessert, but the sweetness feels right. The poppy seeds, too, add some nice flavour and texture.
Of course, if it weren’t made with such skill, it might be a bit boring — but clearly, the folks at Meyers Bageri know their way around a pastry.