Is the Croissant really French? Few foods are as culturally iconic as this flaky breakfast food. One bite from a fresh-baked croissant just pulled from the oven is bliss. With a satisfying crunch and scattering of crumbs, the indulgent mouthful of butter wrapped in the sensation of lightness. As recently as the 19th century, the French viewed the croissant as a foreign novelty, sold only in special Viennese bakeries in the pricier parts of Paris.
The croissant was inspired by the Austrian kipferl, a crescent-shaped baked good featuring a generous amount of butter or lard with sugar and almonds. The story behind the kipferl is that it originated in 1683 as a comestible celebration of Austrian victory over the Ottomans at the siege of Vienna. A baker saved the city when he heard the Turks tunneling underneath the city and sounded an alarm. The kipfel’s curved shape said to mimic the crescent moon of the Ottoman flag, then would seem to pay poetic tribute to the spirit of a city that resisted a powerful invading force.
Interestingly enough, the kipferl (aka croissant,) actually existed long before the Ottoman siege of Vienna. A poem says it is one of the Christmas treats that Viennese bakers presented to Duke Leopold in 1227. Moon-shaped bread date back centuries earlier. Order a kipferl in Austria or Germany today and you will receive a crescent-shaped cookie.
According to Jim Chevalier, an independent scholar and author of a book on croissant history, the croissant began as the Austrian kipferl. Marie Antoinette popularized the croissant in France by requesting the royal bakers replicate her favorite treat from her homeland, Austria. French bakers replaced the brioche type dough with leavened puffed pasty dough. The process of (laminating dough,) folding the dough several times with alternating layers of butter) before rolling is what gives croissants their unique buttery flavor and flaky texture. Initially, they were for the wealthy because the ingredients were expensive. The basic ingredients for a classic French croissant au beurre are: butter, flour, water, milk, yeast, sugar, salt & eggs.
Other than loaves of bread, the croissant is the most popular item ordered in French cafes. If you are on a France tour, you can easily schedule your own cooking class. If you prefer to just consume them, visit a Patisserie. Only bakeries with a licensed maître pâtissier (master pastry chefs) can call themselves a Pâtisserie. Also popular are pain au Chocolat. Although they are made with the same dough as a croissant, they are not in a crescent shape and of course, they are stuffed with chocolate. In France, you can also find almond & raisin croissants in most bakeries.
In Germany, you can order laugencroissant. They have taken she shape and made a cross between a croissant and a pretzel. It tastes like a croissant but has the texture of a pretzel, and it’s brilliant.
In Swizterland, try a Gipfeli. In German the word Gipfel means summit. They call their croissants that due to its resemblance to a mountain peak. Not only it is a long shaped versus a crescent shape, but they are less flaky and buttery. There is the plain croissants called Buttergipfel and then filled versions suck as Schinkengipfel (ham) and Nussgipfel (hazelnut filling.)
A cornetto which translated means “little horn”, is an Italian variation of the Austrian kipferl and the French croissant. The cornetto is softer & much sweeter than a French croissant. They are usually filled with cream, custard, honey, Nutella, or marmalade. Personally, if you are on an Italy tour I suggest trying the sfogliatelle which is a traditional Italian pastry that original in Naples. The delicate pastry is filled with a mixture of sweetened ricotta cheese and citrus peels, giving it just the right amount of sweetness.
According to reviews, some of the best places to order a croissant in the U.S. include Lost Larson (Chicago,) Salty Tart (Minneapolis,) Little Tart (Atlanta,) Ken’s Artisan Bakery (Portland,) Le Panier (Seattle,) Bien Cuit (Brooklyn, NY) The Little Chef (Princeton, NJ) and Republique (Los Angeles.)
