Croissant facts for kids
| Type | Viennoiserie |
|---|---|
| Course | Breakfast |
| Place of origin | France |
| Main ingredients | Yeast-leavened dough, butter |
| Variations | Pain aux raisins, Pain au chocolat |
A croissant is a delicious, flaky pastry. It gets its name from its special crescent shape. Croissants are made from a unique kind of dough that has many layers.
To make them, bakers add lots of butter between thin sheets of yeast-leavened dough. This dough is then folded and rolled many times. This special method is called laminating. It creates the amazing flaky texture that croissants are famous for, much like a puff pastry.
A Sweet History
People have been making crescent-shaped breads for a very long time. They were popular even during the Renaissance period. Some historians think crescent-shaped cakes might have existed in ancient times too!
Croissants have been a key part of Austrian and French bakeries for many years. They are a classic treat in these countries.
Croissants Today
In the late 1970s, something new happened. Factories started making frozen croissant dough. This meant that bakeries could bake fresh croissants very quickly. Even people without special baking skills could make them.
Croissants became a type of fast food in France. By 2008, about 30-40% of the croissants sold in French bakeries were made from this frozen dough. Croissants are often eaten as part of a continental breakfast in France.
Images for kids
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The original Boulangerie Viennoise in 1909 (when it was owned by Philibert Jacquet). The bakery proper is at left and its tea salon at right.
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A Kipferl, a precursor to croissants
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Baked croissants
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St. Martin's croissant from Poznań, Poland
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Croissant rising
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Cross-section, showing texture
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Unbaked dough
See also
In Spanish: Cruasán para niños
