The kitchens of monasteries and abbeys across Europe have been responsible for the invention of more than a few popular pastries and desserts, including the famous Portuguese egg tart, the pastel de nata, and the rum and vanilla flavoured cannelé from Bordeaux, to give just two examples. This baking ingenuity grew out of the reliance on the sale of products to raise money for the upkeep of their religious orders, as well as simply having the time and opportunity to experiment.