The Myth and Truth behind Croissants - A Recipe from 1850

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Subtitles: Jose Mendoza | IG @worldagainstjose

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#tastinghistory #croissant

[SpukiTheLoveKitten]

OPENING LINE: "What is better than a buttery, flaky croissant?"

"TWO buttery, flaky croissants!"

[cormacolinde]

In French, we don’t usually call those other pastries “croissants”. We call them collectively “viennoiseries”, meaning “from Vienna”. The chocolate one you showed is called “Pain au chocolat” or “Chocolatine” depending on where you are. Others are often in fact called “brioches”. The spiral cinnamon roll is usually called “brioche à la cannelle” or “roulé à la cannelle”.

[stefanocomito]

In Italy we do something very similar to the croissant, it’s called cornetto (which technically means “little horn”, but I’m pretty sure it’s called like that because it sounds similar to the original kipfel). The main difference with the croissant is that it has eggs in the dough and it’s usually filled with cream or jam. Obviously it is my duty as an Italian to tell you that the French may have won the battle on the croissant, but they have not won the war and that one day the cornetto shall prevail

[glittermytimbers]

Hey Max! I thought you might enjoy this: I went on a first date today, and as we were talking about our interests, he recommended I check out your channel. That was one of the early signs that it was going well. 😊

[Dr_V]

Applying egg wash on a pastry after baking means immediately after taking it out of the oven so the residual heat is enough to cook the thin egg mixture. Ends up lighter in color and a little bit tacky so it's used primarily for powdered sugar coatings.

[cosmoreverb]

2:26 A real "pain". Intentional or not, that's a solid bread pun

[QwertiusMaximus]

There’s an YT video where a guy walked around Paris eating croissants from different bakeries while protestors filled the streets. That has to be the most French thing.

[hawkatsea]

"Mm, I mean, it's just warm bread" has never been spoken in such a satisfying way, LOL. I love modern croissants, but these seem more like something I can pull of myself, and I can't wait to try them this fall. As always, fantastic story and wonderful presentation.

[IzZyVanDizZy]

Wow, this is almost exactly the recipe my German grandma used to make mini croissants. She added sugar glaze and I would get a huge bag for my birthday as a kid.
Thank you for your all your educational content!

[Whitetail]

I'm a devout Townsends follower. One day a recommended video popped up with one of your videos, and I must say I enjoy your videos just as much as Townsends channel!

[O___P]

Little correction: The egg wash applied after baking does not leave raw egg on top. You're meant to do it immediately after it comes out the oven, and thinly, meaning it flash-cooks on the surface of the hot baked goods. It actually looks quite nice and shiny, but doesn't help with browning like egg-wash before baking would.

[Sipho]

As a french person, I have to correct you at 18:08 : croissants are crecent-shaped. The filled ones you show are only called croissant abroad. The raisin one is called "pain au raisin" (raisin bread), and the chocolate one is called "pain au chocolat" (chocolate bread) or "chocolatine" depending on the place (there is a great french cultural fight about the name of this absolutely excellent pastry)
It would be weird to call those croissants in France, because the name refers to the shape.

[lizzykayOT]

That "mmm, warm bread" is just the best feeling. The croissant is younger than I thought, food history is such a delight, it really marks the changes that go on through the decades.

[herbertliedel]

My wife and I had a girl from Toulouse as a summer exchange student here in Michigan. She and her husband a master pastry chef, run a small shop near Toulouse. When we visit them I love all the pastries they make.

[mark-wright]

In the year 2000, I did a summer semester in London, and at the very end of my trip, I spent a week in Paris. I had almost no money left after six weeks abroad, but I ate on the cheap in France, subsisting mostly on croissants, pains au chocolat, crepes, and the occasional Royale with Cheese from McDonald's. Wandering along the Champs Elysees and eating pastries and bread: It was divine.

[The_Kentuckian]

"Max, what is best in life?"
"To drive your enemies before you & hear the laminations of their dough."

[hubpton]

In French we even have a word “viennoiserie” (which could be translated to Vienna’s thing), that refers to all kind of pastries we, French people, eat at breakfast, for instance Pain au Chocolat, Croissant or Pain au Raisin…

[Jackster]

19:05 Really like this moment her where you say its just bread and nothing to get super exited about. I have seen to many cooking shows where they would over react to how good the food taste. This honesty is a nice dose of fresh air to my lungs. A heavy weight lifted off. Thanks.

Keep up the good work and honesty.

[stefanr.]

I swear, that's exactly how my gramma used to make them, in a God forgotten village in Romania, absolutely no connection with France or the 1880's! She used to make a filling with cottage chese, eggs, sugar and raisins... an absolute treat!

[Enton]

I have been making this (1850s) version my whole life, mostly because that's what my parents used to make as well when I was a kid. I had no idea this was how they used to be. I assumed this was just a lazy home-cooking variantion