Croissants - a buttered myth
Like the baguette, its true history is often romanticised, but the real story of the croissant is even more layered — involving Austria, France, war, industrialisation, and a bit of clever marketing.
Let’s slice through the legends and get to the buttery truth:
🥐 The Myth:
That the croissant was invented in Vienna after the 1683 siege by the Ottomans, and shaped like a crescent moon to celebrate the defeat of the Turks.
❌ Nice story, but historians generally consider this a culinary myth. There’s no solid contemporary evidence of such a pastry being invented for that reason at the time.
The Real History:
🇦🇹 1. Austria – The Kipferl (pre-1683 and beyond)
Kipferl is the true ancestor: a crescent-shaped bread or pastry from Austria, dating back to at least the 13th century.
Usually denser and less flaky, sometimes made with nuts or sugar.
The crescent shape (a symbol found in many cultures) predated the siege of Vienna.
🇫🇷 2. Vienna to Paris – Enter August Zang (1839–1840s)
August Zang, an Austrian artillery officer, opened the Boulangerie Viennoise in Paris in 1839.
He introduced Viennese-style baked goods like the kipferl and pain viennois.
Parisians loved them. French bakers imitated and refined the style.
This is the moment when the Austrian kipferl became “Frenchified” — lighter, flakier, more elegant.
3. The French Transformation (Late 19th Century)
French bakers applied their technique of laminating dough with butter (a method already used in puff pastry).
The result: the croissant as we know it — a yeast-leavened, laminated pastry with delicate, flaky layers.
This was no longer a kipferl — it was a distinctively French creation, even if inspired by Austrian roots.
4. 20th Century: From Viennoiserie to National Symbol
By the early 20th century, croissants were a common breakfast treat in Paris, sold in cafés and bakeries.
Not yet universally homemade: croissants were time-consuming, and not every bakery made them from scratch.
Post–World War II, industrialisation led to frozen, pre-made dough, making croissants accessible worldwide — but not always artisanal.
Key Differences: Kipferl vs. Croissant
| Trait | Kipferl | Croissant |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Austria (medieval period) | France (19th century transformation) |
| Dough | Simple or enriched | Laminated, buttery |
| Texture | Dense or soft | Flaky, airy |
| Shape | Crescent | Crescent (traditional), also straight (plain) |
🇫🇷 The Croissant Today
Straight croissants in France = plain butter
Curved croissants = usually margarine-based or cheaper
Protected only in spirit, not by law — but the “croissant au beurre” must be made with real butter