Latest news with #croissant
The Guardian
3 hours ago
- General
- The Guardian
‘An absolute steal': supermarket croissants, tasted and rated by Felicity Cloake
Until the age of almost 30, I was largely indifferent to croissants, primarily because, despite all the time I'd spent in France, I'd tried a squashy industrial example sometime in the 1990s and decided they weren't worth the effort. When I finally tasted a croissant fresh from a bakery, out of politeness more than anything else, the flakes fell from my eyes, and a love affair was born. Since then, I've made up for lost time – in fact, I wrote an entire book based around the idea of cycling across France rating croissants, and judged the inaugural Isigny Sainte-Mère Best Croissant Competition UK. But I still steer clear of the supermarket variety wherever I am in the world, so this tasting was a baptism of fire for me. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. My usual croissant-judging system, out of 10, has had to be adapted for the Filter's rating system, but the criteria remain the same: I place little weight on appearance, because some of the flabbiest, most disappointing-looking croissants I've encountered have been the most delicious and, conversely, some perfect-looking beauties have turned out to taste of nothing. Personally, I favour an all-butter croissant, because I like them to taste of butter, and preferably that slightly sweet French butter; if you have to add more on top, or indeed jam, cheese, or Nutella, they've not used enough in the dough. Ideally, the little paper bag should be translucent with grease by the time you get it to the cafe seat where you intend to demolish it in the company of a cafe creme. That said, I'm not averse to the slightly more savoury, bready British style, either, so long as it's done well. Texture-wise, though, I'm aware that a technically perfect croissant should be made up of many airy layers of pastry; I prefer them a little squidgy in the middle and shatteringly crisp at the ends and underneath. After all, if a croissant doesn't leave you covered in buttery crumbs, you're doing it wrong. Not that I'm fussy, of course. £1.30 each in store★★★★★ I'm always a bit suspicious of big croissants – what are they trying to make up for? – but I can see the flakes coming off this one as I remove it from the bag. It's even authentically squashed, as if put in there warm from the oven. Shatteringly crisp ends, lovely, damp, elastic crumb and a savoury, even salty flavour that seems to be characteristic of British croissants. It doesn't taste French, but it is delicious – I'd definitely buy this again. 59p each in store ★★★★☆ A clumsily large croissant with a mildly off-putting matt finish, like a pair of American tan tights, but a prime example of how you should never judge by appearances, particularly when it comes to pastry. Inside lurk some very respectable layers and a decent, if fairly neutral buttery flavour. It's also an absolute steal. £1.30 each★★★★☆ If I'd been told there was a French interloper here, I'd have picked out this glossy, handsomely layered chap as the most likely candidate. It's a bit dry inside, sadly, but it has excellent lamination and they've nailed that authentically French flavour, with the delicate sweetness of good unsalted butter. £1.75 for two★★★★☆ This one has a spray tan worthy of Love Island (I suspect egg wash), and though it has lost a bit of definition in the oven, a few layers are evident on the outside. Unfortunately, I cut it in half to discover an enormous hole in the middle, which feels like a technical fault or a swizz, because what I can taste is actually really rather good. Faintly sweet and subtly buttery, with crunchy, if dry ends, and what remains of an elastic interior. Feels like it has potential, hence the charitable rating. £1 each in store ★★★☆☆ A medium croissant, with a pleasant colour and a classic, flaky appearance. It's not bad at all texture-wise – the ends are delicious and a few layers are evident in the middle – but it's a bit dull and could do with a pinch of salt. Sign up to The Filter Get the best shopping advice from the Filter team straight to your inbox. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. after newsletter promotion £1.75 for two★★★☆☆ Looks a bit deflated, with a dull finish and not much in the way of layering visible. The flavour actually isn't bad – slightly yeasty and sweet – but the insides are fluffy like a bloomer, rather than rich and springy. Not unpleasant, you understand; just not what I look for in a croissant. £2.38 for four★★★☆☆ Another one to have been given an egg wash glow-up, though I won't hold it against it, because it wears it well, with decent definition and an airy, honeycomb centre. That said, 'exceptional' might be a little hubristic to describe this fluffy, inoffensively bland number. 59p each in store ★★☆☆☆ A nice-looking, golden brown pastry (if rather solid, like a toy croissant). There are some promising-looking layers on the outside that don't translate into much in the way of lamination in the middle, and it has an odd, pronounced, sweet yeasty flavour that reminds me slightly of rooibos tea. Unfortunately, I don't like rooibos tea. 50p each in store ★★☆☆☆ A small croissant, which is not necessarily a criticism; if it contains enough butter, small can be perfectly formed. I don't doubt some has been involved in the manufacturing process, but sadly I can't detect it in the finished product. The ends are so dry I have to reach for a glass of water, while the middle is bready, with a faintly sweet, but fairly neutral flavour. Butter and jam would be required to eat a whole one. £2.25 for six at Tesco£2.25 for six at Waitrose★☆☆☆☆ All the definition of a croissant emoji, but none of the colour, this reminds me of a runty version of a croissant-shaped dog toy I used to keep finding in my bed. No layers, just soft, chewy dough with a weirdly caramelised flavour. Tastes long-life, processed and unpleasant – I don't get the point of these, sorry. They remind me of something you might be given for breakfast on a long-haul flight, right down to the individual plastic wrapping.
Daily Mail
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Would you spend £6 on a croissant? (Gen Z does)
Gen Z: Fancy a croissant for breakfast? Boomer: Go on, then. There's a Tesco Finest pack in the bread bin. Be real. I'm nipping to Baaria on Charing Cross Road to buy them fresh. Nipping? It's a 15km round trip. I'll run there, grab two of the £5.45 pistachio croissants and be back in no time. Are they made by a Michelin-starred chef? Baaria was recommended by influencer Emma Pudge in one of her 'Bun Run' series. To me, 'Bun Run' means nipping to the corner shop in my dressing gown. It's where Pudge shares a running route with her 23,000 Instagram followers, which ends at a specific must-try bakery. Does jogging 100 yards down the road and getting a Greggs jam doughnut count? Greggs? Please! That's for Boomers and builders. I'm not sure someone with 'digital vibe curator' on their CV is qualified to make vocation-based judgments. I've told you, a brand's social-media aura matters. Anyway, even The Telegraph says hipster bakeries are the new Gen Z hotspots. Where you eat your pastry barefoot in a shared community space while a man with a nose ring plays the bongos? [Eyeroll] The coolest ones are on The Good Food Guide's list of Britain's 50 best bakeries, which has become a bible for pastry lovers. All 50 must be in East London – the only place pretentious enough for someone to spend a tenner on an 'artisan' eclair. They're actually as far flung as Glasgow. The Guardian says it's creating a whole new travel trend called 'bakery tourism'. In my day, bakery tourism meant strolling down the bread aisle in the Co-op. One Gen Zer told the paper he'd completed a 14-day trek and two ferry hops to reach The Bakehouse in remote Mallaig on the west coast of Scotland. What's on the menu: a cream slice infused with haggis and Irn-Bru? That's actually xenophobic. The fishing village is famous for its hazelnut praline pain suisse. Sounds weirdly French. Anyway, what happened to your generation being skint? According to trade mag British Baker, 80 per cent of us Gen Zers believe a daily sweet treat is important for mental health. More essential than, say, a roof over their heads or a healthy savings account? 'I am held hostage by my need for a daily sweet treat,' one wrote on X. Another said: 'A mid-afternoon sweet treat might actually save my life.' So now we're supposed to be prescribing viennoiseries to you lot on the NHS? It's called self-care. You wouldn't get it. It's exactly how I feel about my 4pm Hobnob and cuppa. It just doesn't cost £8 or require a ten-mile trek across London. Bloomsbury's Fortitude Bakehouse is only down the road, with its delish £4.50 pistachio choux buns. Apparently, there's a 90-minute queue outside after Parkrun on Saturday morning. It's very popular with tourists. It's a cult with icing sugar! A cake and a latte there costs nearly a tenner. It's even pricier if you drink oat milk. What's the point of ordering oat milk when the pastries have enough dairy to milk an entire farm dry? It's eco-friendly, duh. Just like the fuel burned during that 180-mile pilgrimage to the bakery in outer Scotland. Influencer Toby Inskip, better known as Eating With Tod, told his 1.9 million Instagram followers Fortitude's £4.50 nutty crème bun has 'custody of my soul'. Sounds nutty himself. Either that or the bakery has paid him. He'd have to tag his post as an ad.
The Sun
4 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Brits will munch through 1,771 croissants in a lifetime – as supermarket creates giant flaky pastry
BRITS will scoff a whopping 1,771 croissants in their lifetime, according to new stats. The figures revealed that as a nation we will treat ourselves to two of the delicious pastries each month, a survey said. 4 4 But according to a poll of 2,000 adults, carried out by OnePoll, three in 10 feel they shouldn't cost more than a quid. Although the average high street bakery is marking them up at a steeper £2.80. In response to the new data, supermarket giant Asda is making an huge croissant - in a playful jab at other chains. It has rolled out a limited-edition mega-croissant - five times bigger than standard - to echo the difference in price between the baked goods at different retailers. The company's single serve in-store bakery snack only costs 53p - in comparison to £3 for a similar product at some outlets. A spokesperson from Asda said: "We had so much fun creating this giant croissant. "We want to make sure the tasty French snack is accessible to all and will now be selling single-serve croissants in our new bakery counter for five times less than some other bakery chains. "The price of such a simple item has risen considerably in recent years, and so we wanted to raise awareness off this using non-other than a giant version.' It comes after the research also discovered 37 per cent prefer to buy their flakey goodies from the supermarket, either pre-packaged, or from the bakery counter. And 17 per cent think they wouldn't be able to notice a difference between a supermarket made one, from a handmade artisanal effort. Fashion fans are running to Asda for 'amazing value' holiday jewellery - including must-have £3.50 claw clips Meanwhile, 56 per cent of those polled consider it important that a croissant is authentically French, crafted using Gallic techniques and ingredients. The spokesperson for Asda added: 'There's something undeniably comforting about a croissant - that perfect balance of crisp, flaky pastry and soft, buttery layers inside. 'Over the years, croissants have gone from being a continental treat to a firm favourite in British households and cafés, and it's easy to see why. 'They bring a touch of indulgence to even the simplest of mornings. 'In the UK, we've wholeheartedly embraced the croissant – not just as a breakfast staple, but as a versatile snack throughout the day. 'But the prices have gone sky high in a number of our high street chains. We believe customers should be paying a fair price.' This comes as shoppers have been raving about a brand new Reese's chocolate dessert that's just landed on Tesco shelves. The Reese's Mix-Ins Peanut Butter Chip & White Chocolate Dessert appears to be exclusive to the major supermarket and comes in at £3.50 for a 330g tub. Tesco Clubcard holders can get it cheaper at £2.50. A description on Tesco's website says it's a "white chocolate creamy dessert with Reese's signature peanut butter chips". It adds: "The signature Reese's peanut flavour you know and love hits the dessert world!" A label on the tub says it's "made for sharing" - that is, if you don't want to keep it all to yourself. And, snack maker Mars has also revealed a brand new flavour of one of its classic sweets hitting supermarkets. Skittles Citrus is hitting supermarket and corner shop shelves across the UK, it has been confirmed to The Sun. The bags contain five new flavours: Orange, Lemon, Lime, Mandarin and Blood Orange. They will be sold as 109g and 136g packs. Plus, earlier this year we revealed how Walkers fans were divided over a bold new twist on a British classic - Wotsits have been turned into a full-blown meal. The cheesy baked corn snack, a staple under the Walkers brand since 2002, has been given a surprising revamp. One savvy shopper took to the Facebook group Food Finds UK Official to share their bizarre find - Wotsits Mac 'n' Cheese bowls. 4 4
