A croissant is a crescent shaped pastry made of a leavened dough that contains a high percentage of butter and is layered in such a way so as to produce a flaky and rich result.
The origin of the Croissant is often cloaked in folkloric tradition, but the first documented evidence of what would be called a croissant today occurred in the 19th century.http://www.ochef.com/853.htm
Croissants are used as desserts, snacks and for the preparation of sandwiches.
They are commonly found at specialized bakeries, as well as mass produced for commercial distribution to supermarkets and convenience stores.
Texture of the Croissant
The actual technique used to achieve the distinctive texture and flavor of the croissant involves applying a leavening agent, such as yeast, to a traditional puff pastry dough. Once the leavened dough has been prepared, it is rolled out and layers are created of the dough and butter. The layered dough is then rolled out, folded, and the procedure is repeated several times over. In baking this technique is referred to as laminating.http://www.baking911.com/howto/dough_laminated.htm
It is the laminating of the dough which, when baked, creates the flakiness of the croissant.
Folkric Legend of the Croissant's Origin
A historically uncollaborated, yet popular, folkloric origin surrounding the croissant is that it dates back either to Vienna, Austria or Budapest, Hungary from the late 17th century when those cities were under siege by invading Ottoman armies. http://www.ochef.com/853.htm http://www.1-800-bakery.com/newsdesk/History_of_the_Croissant.html
The legend goes that either a Hungarian or Austrian baker heard rumblings beneath the floor of his shop. The rumblings supposedly came from the Turkish forces digging a tunnel to attack the city. The baker alerted the authorities who in turn thwarted the attack, thus saving the city. In gratitude, the baker was given license to produce a special commemorative pastry. This new creation became the croissant, its crescent shape meant to represent the crescent moon which was emblazoned on the Ottoman flags.http://www.ochef.com/853.htm
How to Make Croissants
In this video, you can observe the process for making croissants from scratch. From the gathering of the ingredients to the preparation and kneading of the dough, this video provides you with a clear visual reference for baking croissants at home. The technique of layering the dough is explained in form an purpose. It is this layering which gives croissants their distinctive flakiness.
Please note, this video is divided into three parts. Parts 2 and 3 can be accessed from the video section below.
