Croissant

Plate of croissants

A ham and cheese croissant

The croissant is a type of bread shaped like a crescent moon. It is usually eaten for breakfast in various countries. It can be called a crescent^[1] or a crescent roll. Although a crescent roll may be smaller.^[2] It is made of a variant of puff pastry. A croissant can be eaten with savory or sweet fillings.

History

Breads shaped like crescents have been around since the Medieval times. Before the croissant, there was a version of the croissant called a "feteer meshaltet". It came from Egypt. Many years later, a crescent-shaped version of feteer meshaltet was made. It was called "feteer halali" (crescent feteer). The feteer halali became popular throughout Europe, especially France. Later, feteer halali became known as a croissant.^[3]^[4]^[5]

Croissants used to be only available to aristocrats. Marie Antoinette is believed to have introduced it to the French elites.^[6] Now they are available in any supermarkets.

Croissant Media

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.
A Kipferl, a precursor to croissants
A pile of croissants.
St. Martin's croissant from Poznań, Poland
A croissant rising from unbaked dough.
Cross-section, showing texture
la parisienne croissant kitchen, sample of un baked croissant