Bread Story of the Month - Croissants

Bread Story of the Month - Croissants

Croissants

Often sitting next to a cup of coffee, shining in it's golden dress, the croissant is one of the most iconic french pastries across the world. But is the croissant really french?

The story takes us to Austria, on a peaceful Viennese night, where local bakers, working in cellars, hear what will turn out to be Ottoman troops digging tunnels. Ready to attack the city by surprise, the invaders were stopped by the authorities, alerted narrowly by the bakers. 

To set this victory in stone, (and in viennoiserie) the bakers decided to tailor a unique pastry made from bread dough. Shaped like a crescent moon, which appeared in the Ottoman flag, the memory of that night will live forever in this newly born "Croissant."

Other legends indeed take us to different kitchens but the fact is that the popularity of the croissant as we know it originated in France.

Either brought from Austria by Marie-Antoinette in 1770 or the famous Austrian baker August Zang in 1838, french bakers immediately took over the viennese recipe to make it fashionable and tasty (as they always do) by adding an irresistible butter puff pastry base.

All over the world today, bakers keep on watching us when we sleep at night only to enjoy hearing our soft morning voices whisper: "Un croissant s'il vous plaît."