Les croissants

ORIGIN

The origin of the croissant is one of the great food legends of all time.

There are a lot of legends around the history of this pastry but the most known takes place in 1686.

According to the “Larousse gastronomique” at this period, Turks were besieged the city of Vienna in Austria.

To reach the centre of the town, they dug underground passages.

But bakers, who were working during the night, heard the noise made by the enemy and gave the alarm.

The assailants were repulsed and the bakers earned the privilege of making a special pastry taking the form of a crescent in memory of the Ottoman flag.

But the croissant as we know it today appeared later…

The croissant appeared in France later with the new queen of France, Marie-Antoinette who was Austrian.

TODAY

So the croissant is not originated from France but it is now one of the most popular element of the French breakfast.

BE CAREFUL!

Dieticians recommend to moderate its consumption because it is constituted with more than 50% of fat matters.

INGREDIENTS

1 pound all-purpose flour. 4 Tb spoon of sugar. 1 teaspoon of salt. 1/2 ounce fresh yeast (or 1 Tbsp dry). 1-1/4 cups milk. 12 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature. 1 egg, lightly beaten, for egg wash.

VARIANTS

The croissant can also be wrapped around almond paste or chocolate before to be baked.

In France, croissants are generally sold without filling and eaten without added butter.

In the United States, sweet fillings or toppings are common, and warm croissants may be filled with ham and cheese or feta cheese and spinach.

In the Levant, croissants are sold plain or filled with chocolate, cheese, almonds, or zaatar.

PROGRESS

Lot of French people love fresh and just baked croissants but don’t really want to buy some when they just wake up.

That is why the Dannon society invented the frozen croissants that are easy to make even if they would never taste good as if they were just baked.

THE END!

Bon appétit!