Every year on 30 January, people in many countries celebrate National Croissant Day and the origins of this much-loved pastry. Let's take a look at where the croissant really came from.
The croissant is a baked bread with a distinctive crescent shape; in fact, the French word croissant literally means "crescent". A good croissant should be crisp on the outside, with small air pockets inside and a light, soft, fragrant crumb.
A Viennese Pastry with a French Name
Because of its French name, many people assume the croissant comes from France. Few people know that it actually originated in Vienna, the capital of Austria.
The croissant is said to have appeared around 1683, during the war between the Turks and Vienna. Records from the 13th century mention the kipferl, the croissant's ancestor, which came in many forms: plain, or made with nuts or other ingredients. The croissant developed as an adaptation of the kipferl before viennoiserie was invented in late 1839 (some say 1838), when Austrian officer August Zang opened a Viennese bakery in Paris. The bakery offered specialities based on popular Viennese recipes, such as the kipferl and other Viennese pastries.
These pastries became so popular that they inspired French bakers to imitate them. The kipferl was named after its crescent shape, and this distinctive look made it famous around the world. Alan Davidson, editor of the Oxford Companion to Food, found no recipe for the croissant in French cookbooks before the 20th century. The earliest French reference appears under the heading "fancy breads or luxury breads" in a book by Payen.
The Croissant in 19th-Century France
In 1853, in the 19th century, came what is considered the first reference to the croissant's origins in France, dating from around 1850. In 1848, Zang returned to Austria to work in the media, but his bakery remained popular and was featured in various publications.
By 1869, the croissant had become well known as a breakfast food, and in 1872 Charles Dickens also mentioned croissants on the breakfast table. The techniques behind today's croissant are linked to the late 17th century, when La Varenne's Le Cuisinier françois developed recipes in 1680 or earlier, yet the croissant itself was not mentioned until the 20th century.
How to Celebrate National Croissant Day
Celebrating National Croissant Day couldn't be simpler: just enjoy a croissant with coffee or your favourite drink, and you've joined in the festivities.
