Croissant

The croissant is a buttery, flaky viennoiserie pastry named for its distinctive crescent shape. While technically a pastry rather than a bread, croissants are an integral part of French baking tradition and are often categorized alongside breads in French bakeries.

Despite being synonymous with French cuisine, the croissant actually originated in Austria as the "kipferl." It was introduced to France by August Zang, an Austrian baker who opened a Viennese bakery in Paris in the early 1800s. The French version evolved over time, becoming lighter and flakier than its Austrian ancestor. By the early 20th century, the croissant had become a staple of French breakfast culture.

• Shape: Crescent-shaped with pointed ends
• Texture: Flaky exterior with multiple buttery layers inside
• Color: Golden-brown exterior
• Ingredients: Flour, butter, milk, sugar, yeast, and salt

Making croissants is a labor-intensive process that involves creating a yeasted dough (détrempe) and then folding in butter through a process called lamination. The dough is rolled out and folded multiple times to create dozens of alternating layers of dough and butter. When baked, the water in the butter creates steam, causing the layers to separate and creating the characteristic flaky texture.

While the classic croissant is made with butter, there are many variations. The "croissant au beurre" (butter croissant) is straight rather than crescent-shaped in many French bakeries. Other popular varieties include chocolate croissants (pain au chocolat), almond croissants (croissants aux amandes), and ham and cheese croissants (croissants jambon-fromage).