First try-Croissants

Here is the thing, I LOVE French pastries. I am not a sweet/dessert person but when it comes down to French pastries, I can be pretty indecisive. That is the problem when you go to Paris for the first time at age 14 and fall in love with everything that is Paris. I am still in love with Paris. I can't wait to take Adia there and just expose her to everything. The one thing that really remember is walking from my grandmother's apartment to the corner bakery. There, I would but the banquettes that I am suppose to and I would grab myself a croissant. Not a pan au chocolate or a jambon au chocolate. Just a simple plain croissant. I fell in love. After a while, the bakers there would just give me one and teach me a few french words here and there. Since then, the croissants here are no match. They are good don't get me wrong but it isn't the same. 


So, I finally gave in and decided to make to make these flaky, buttery, crispy pastry. I was so afraid that I would fail. It isn't like baking a cake or baking other things. I am actually talking about intense patience, a lot of patience, and a whole lot of love for the croissant. Making the dough, making the butter square, then the rolling, folding, waiting, rolling, folding, waiting, rolling, waiting folding. It is a true labor of love to create this piece of bake dough.


The thing is, it just isn't a piece of baked dough. When you tear into a really good croissant, you will instantly see the layers of dough that has separated from the rolling and folding of the dough. You will taste the buttery goodness without it being overly buttery greasy. You will feel the crispness of the croissant and see the beautiful golden color on it. Please, I am not saying this is the love of my life but when you bite into a really good croissant, you can feel and taste the hard work and love that the baker put into it. 


My croissants will probably not be up to those French baker standards. Yet, it doesn't mean I won't keep trying. How did my first try at making croissants turn out? I was damm proud of myself. I made pan au chocolate too. The next morning, I had just baked a fresh batch for my friend Brooke. Eric, my guy, came downstairs after he got up and asked if the batch cooling on the rack was for him. I told him no and baked him up some. I was flattered to know that he like it. Having a boyfriend as a chef can be intimidating at times. 


This is one of those things that I know I can do and if I can do it well on the first try, I am sure on the next few tries, I can come close to perfection. 

The butter square. The main thing that makes it so flaky!

Just the beginning to the folding, rolling, chilling stage.

Pan au Chocolate

The melty chocolaty goodness of the pan au chocolate

The first croissant

A peek inside-see the layers? Yeah, I did that!

Just to say I am proud that I can do this and know that, hopefully, the next few batches will come out better and better. I am willing to to try to perfect this even though perfection is hard to come by. But I am going to share this all with you.