The croissant - Google Arts & Culture (2024)

While the croissant is often associated with France, it is said to have been invented in Vienna. Legend has it that it was created in 1683 to celebrate the Austrian army's victory over the Turks while Vienna was under siege, and that the pastry's shape represents the symbol on the Ottoman flag.

Archduch*ess of Austria, Marie-Antoinette, brought the croissant to France in the 1770s when she became queen. A Parisian baker then began to specialize in making this small crescent-shaped loaf, but his recipe remained top-secret!

The croissant became popular in the 1830s with the arrival of a Viennese-style boulangerie selling Austrian specialties including the croissant, which became wildly popular. As a result, Parisian boulangeries started making their own.

The recipe for the butter croissant as we know it today dates back to 1920. The croissant is made from risen puff pastry that includes a large quantity of butter.

An artisanal croissant has a more pronounced buttery taste. It has a crisp, flaky texture on the outside, and is soft on the inside. Sweet and savory versions also exist, containing ingredients like almonds or ham.

Poster for an artisanal croissant

Created at the request of the French national confederation of boulangeries and patisseries (CNBPF) by Michal Batory—one of the last and the most famous poster artists in the world—this original work celebrates this product, a symbol of culinary pleasure and of the unique expertise of artisan bakers and pastry makers.

National competition

The aim of the competition, founded in 2019 by the CNBPF, is to showcase traditionally made pastries, something that the profession is fighting passionately to achieve, given that this emblematic product—a key part of the French way of life—is the concrete expression of the talents and expertise of French artisan bakers and pastry chefs.

After progressing through the departmental and regional selection rounds, the finalists have five hours to make 30 butter croissants. The professional jury must decide the winner based on four criteria: bake quality, shape/appearance/evenness, flavor and aroma, and texture/butter melt/puff pastry work.

In October 2021, Adrien Ozaneaux, a baker in the Ile-de-France region, was crowned the winner of the second edition of the Meilleur Croissant au Beurre (Best Butter Croissant) competition. Vincent Macaudier, from the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region and Benjamin Hoareau, representing the French overseas regions, placed second and third, respectively.