Unraveling the crescent: Cornetto vs croissant delight
Although often confused due to their shape, these are two distinct pastries beloved in their respective countries of origin. For Italians, the perfect breakfast is a cornetto with a cup of coffee, while for the French, it's a croissant spread with apricot jam. Which of these pastries is worth trying?
7 December 2024 17:18
Crescent-shaped pastries have been baked since ancient times and were offered as a sacrifice to the Moon goddess, Selene. Over the centuries, more of these specialties appeared, with monks in monasteries particularly excelling in their preparation. A crescent-shaped roll was described by the 17th-century Austrian monk Abraham a Sancta Clara, noting that "the moon in the first quarter shines like a kipferl."
The kipferl is considered the prototype of today's pastries enjoyed by both Italians and French. Its recipe reached Italy at the end of the 17th century, thanks to developed trade between Vienna and the Venetian Republic, from which it spread across the country. Over time, the recipe was modified, and thus the cornetto was born.
The story of the croissant is similar. In 1839, Austrian August Zang opened the bakery La Boulangerie Viennoise in Paris. Among the various delicacies was the kipferl, which gained particular appreciation among local gourmets. Inspired by its popularity, French bakers began experimenting with the recipe. In 1915, pastry chef Sylvain Claudius Goy was the first to describe the croissant recipe.
What distinguishes the Italian and French pastries? Cornetto is softer and sweeter, while the croissant is crispy and distinctly buttery. The cornetto is often filled (cornetto alla crema – with custard, cornetto alla marmellata – with jam, cornetto al miele – with honey), while the croissant typically does not have such additions.
What's the answer to the titular question? Everyone has to find their own. Ideally, by directly comparing freshly baked pastries from our recipes.
Croissant – recipe
We roll cold butter (200 grams) between sheets of baking paper and form it into a flat square about 20 centimetres on each side. Place in the refrigerator.
Prepare the dough – in a large bowl, add flour (500 grams), sourdough starter (50 grams), dry yeast (5 grams), sugar (5-6 tablespoons), salt (a teaspoon), pour warm water (about 200 millilitres), and crack an egg, preferably organic. Knead by hand or using a stand mixer until a smooth mass forms, pulling away from the hands. Cover with a cloth and place in the refrigerator for an hour.
Next, roll the dough into a square with each side about 50 centimetres long. Place the cold butter in the middle. Wrap the edges, pressing to remove air. Roll out and fold into three parts, removing air between layers each time. Wrap again and refrigerate for half an hour.
After this time, repeat the whole process, called laminating – roll out, fold into three parts, turn 90 degrees, roll out, fold, and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, then repeat once more.
After removing the dough from the refrigerator, roll it out into a rectangle and divide it into 8 triangles. Roll each into a crescent shape and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with cloths and let the crescents rise for an hour and a half.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Brush the crescents twice with beaten egg and bake for about 15 minutes until they are a dark golden colour.
Cornetto – recipe
As we mentioned, Italians like to fill their beloved pastry. Here is the version with chocolate.
In warm but not hot milk (120 millilitres), dissolve yeast (30 grams) and sugar (a teaspoon). Add flour (500 grams), sugar (5 tablespoons), vanilla sugar, milk (120 millilitres), and melted butter (20 grams). Knead the dough – when it becomes smooth and elastic, roll it out to form a rectangle. Spread butter (70 grams) over 2/3 of the dough's surface. Then wrap it so that the dry part covers the moist part, and place the last third of the dough on top. This way, you'll obtain a rectangle, which you slightly roll out and place in the refrigerator for an hour.
After this time, roll out the dough again and fold it into three parts, then place it in the refrigerator. Repeat this three times. Leave the dough in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, roll it out, cut triangles, fill with chocolate pieces, roll into a crescent shape, and leave on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for half an hour. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 20-25 minutes.
