‘Never find that in France’: Pastry chef reveals what Aussies are doing wrong with croissants
Bastille Day is an important holiday in France’s calendar, celebrating its liberty, but it also serves as an opportunity to appreciate the best things the country has given the world – including the humble croissant.
However, like all things French, there is a right and wrong way to enjoy a croissant according to French-born pastry chef and founder of Melbourne’s Almost French Epicure bakery, Alex Charasse.
Sorry, Aussies, it seems we’re getting some things wrong when eating croissants. Supplied
Charasse told nine.com.au a perfect croissant should leave flakes everywhere, and you should not be able to tear it apart layer by layer.
“The best way to eat a croissant is with a little bit more butter, then I’m breaking it with my hand and putting it in my mouth,” he said.
“I like a croissant when it’s messy, when you can lick your fingers and get all the crumbs ... It’s not very elegant, but that’s the way.”
He said a fork and knife should never be used when eating a croissant; you just need to deal with the crumbs.
Charasse also made an important distinction: You should not be able to tear a good croissant layer by layer.
“You don’t really open up a croissant. I mean, if you have a proper croissant, you couldn’t really do that because the layers should be stuck together.”
In Australia, the croissant has taken on many forms, from Vegemite croissants to cronuts and everything else in between
Those this marks a departure from tradition, Charasse said the French are all for being creative with their beloved flaky pastry – but one variation is uniquely Australian.
“The ham and cheese croissant … you would never find that in France,” he said.
Pastry chef Alex Charasse said the French are all for creativity with croissants. Alex Charasse
That said, the Aussie ham and cheese croissant would ‘never’ be found in France. iStock
“We just don’t really do that for with croissant, we are very traditional with it. Croissants are just for breakfast. It’s a breakfast meal, and that’s it.”
He added that you could have a croissant in the afternoon for a snack, but not for lunch.
Despite the sac-religious nature of a ham and cheese croissant, Charasse said he does sometimes sell them at his patisseries because his customers love it.
Another uniquely Australian habit is putting a croissant in a sandwich press.
When asked if the French partake in pressing croissants, Charasse let out an impassioned “no!” as if to say “That would ruin the croissant.”
“I don’t see the point in doing all the hard work to make sure the lamination is right … and you just push it flat; you’re crushing your croissant,” he said.
Lamination is the technique pastry chefs use to roll and fold the butter into the croissant dough to create thousands of buttery soft layers.
He said instead, you could cut open the croissant and melt the cheese over the top of the ham in the oven, rather than pressing it in.
Charasse recommended heating up a leftover croissant in either the oven or the air fryer to help maintain its integrity.
