30 January is National Croissant Day, a day created to celebrate the buttery, crescent-shaped rolls that are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
The key to a perfect croissant is laminating the dough, a process by which butter is folded into the dough creating multiple thin layers of butter and dough. The result is a mouth-watering, flaky crust and airy body.
Legend surrounds this pastry, as is often the case with a popular, worldly treat. It is known that crescent shaped breads have been found around the world for ages and one of these – the Kipferl – originated in Austria in the 13th century. Although crescent shaped, this non-laminated bread is more like a roll.
The croissant as we know it today is credited to an Austrian military officer – August Zang. He opened a Viennese bakery in Paris in 1939 where he introduced Viennese baking techniques to the French.
Celebrate today by visiting your bakery for a fresh, warm croissant. Or, if you are feeling adventurous, find a recipe and try making your own.
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