The Austrian Roots Of The Croissant

The croissant is a French pastry, but its origins are disputed. The earliest stories of the croissant date back to 17th-century Vienna, Austria, and the Ottoman Turk siege of the city. Legend has it that a baker heard the Turks tunnelling under the walls of the city and raised the alarm, saving Vienna from invasion. To celebrate, the bakers created a pastry in the shape of the crescent moon on the Turkish flag. However, the kipferl, the ancestor of the modern-day croissant, dates back to the 13th century in Austria and was brought to Paris by Austrian artillery officer August Zang in the 1800s.

The Austrian kipferl, the ancestor of the croissant, dates back to the 13th century

The Austrian kipferl is the ancestor of the croissant and dates back to the 13th century. The kipferl is a crescent-shaped pastry, denser and sweeter than the modern croissant, and is often filled with nuts or other fillings. The kipferl is also considered to be a form of rugelach, a Jewish pastry of Ashkenazic origin.

The kipferl is mentioned in a poem as one of the Christmas treats presented to Duke Leopold in 1227. Moon-shaped breads, in general, date back even earlier. The kipferl is also said to have originated in 1683 as a celebration of the Austrian victory over the Ottomans at the siege of Vienna. The curved shape of the kipferl is said to mimic the crescent moon on the Ottoman flag.

In the early 19th century, Austrian baker August Zang founded a Viennese bakery in Paris, introducing the kipferl to France. The French version of the kipferl was made flakier than the traditional Austrian pastry and was named "croissant" by the Parisians, after its crescent shape. In the 20th century, French bakers replaced the brioche dough of the kipferl with a yeast-leavened laminated dough, creating the modern croissant.

The kipferl was inspired by the crescent moon

The kipferl has a long history in Austria, dating back to at least the 13th century. It was a popular pastry in Vienna and was mentioned in a poem as one of the Christmas treats presented to Duke Leopold in 1227. The kipferl could be made plain or with various fillings, such as nuts, sugar, or almonds. The pastry was brought to France in the 19th century by Austrian baker August Zang, who opened a Viennese bakery in Paris in 1838 or 1839. The French version of the kipferl, named "croissant" due to its crescent shape, became popular and inspired French imitators. However, it was not until the early 20th century that French bakers replaced the brioche dough of the kipferl with a yeast-leavened laminated dough, creating the modern croissant.

The crescent shape has a long history in baked goods, with crescent-shaped breads dating back to the Renaissance and possibly even further. The crescent shape is also significant in astronomy, where it is used to describe the phases of the moon, and in geometry, where it refers to a concave and convex disc. Additionally, the crescent is used as a symbol of Islam due to its association with the phases of the moon.

The kipferl, and by extension the croissant, has become a symbol of celebration, cultural exchange, and culinary innovation. The evolution of the pastry from its Austrian roots to its French incarnation demonstrates the cross-cultural influences that shape culinary traditions. The crescent shape, inspired by the moon, has endured as a recognisable symbol across the world.

The kipferl was made with butter or lard, and sometimes sugar and almonds

The kipferl, a precursor to the modern croissant, was a crescent-shaped pastry that originated in Austria as early as the 13th century. The pastry was made with butter or lard, and sometimes included sugar and almonds. The kipferl was also filled with nuts or other fillings, and is considered by some to be a form of rugelach, a Jewish pastry of Ashkenazic origin.

The kipferl was introduced to France in the 19th century by Austrian baker August Zang, who founded a Viennese bakery in Paris in 1838 or 1839. The bakery, named Boulangerie Viennoise, was located at 92 Rue Richelieu on the Right Bank. Zang's bakery served Viennese specialties, including kipferl and the Vienna loaf, and quickly became popular with Parisians. The French version of the kipferl was named for its crescent shape, or "croissant" in French.

Over time, French bakers began to make the kipferl with puff pastry instead of brioche dough, altering its taste and transforming it into the croissant that is widely recognised today. The new croissant became a huge success in France and remains a popular indulgence.

While the kipferl may have originated in Austria, the French made it their own by adapting the recipe and making it with puff pastry. Today, if you order a kipferl in Austria or Germany, you will likely be served a crescent-shaped cookie rather than a pastry.

The croissant was inspired by the kipferl but uses French puff pastry

The croissant is a French pastry made from puff pastry in a crescent shape. It is buttery, flaky, and inspired by the Austrian kipferl. The kipferl is a crescent-shaped baked good that dates back to at least the 13th century in Austria and is often filled with butter, lard, sugar, and almonds. The modern croissant was developed in the early 20th century when French bakers replaced the brioche dough of the kipferl with yeast-leavened laminated dough, a French innovation.

The kipferl is said to have originated in 1683 to celebrate the Austrian victory over the Ottomans at the siege of Vienna. According to legend, a baker who was up early making bread heard the Turks tunnelling underneath the city and sounded the alarm, saving Vienna from invasion. The kipferl's curved shape is said to mimic the crescent moon on the Ottoman flag. However, the kipferl existed long before the Ottoman siege, as it was mentioned in a poem as one of the Christmas treats presented to Duke Leopold in 1227, and moon-shaped breads date back even further.

In the early 19th century, the first croissants were sold in Paris by Austrian bakers August Zang and Ernest Schwarzer, who opened a Viennese bakery at 92 Rue Richelieu. Zang's bakery became popular, and soon French imitators began springing up. However, it is worth noting that the term "croissant" did not appear in a French dictionary until 1863 and the first printed recipe for the modern croissant did not appear until 1905.

The French version of the kipferl was named for its crescent shape, with the French word "croissant" meaning "crescent." Over time, the French made the croissant their own, and it became a staple of French breakfasts and a symbol of France abroad. While the croissant may have Austrian origins, it was the French innovation of using puff pastry that gave it its distinctive flaky texture and fully established it in its adopted land.

The first croissants in France were sold in a Viennese bakery in Paris

The croissant's origins can be traced back to 13th-century Austria, where it was known as the kipferl, derived from the German word for 'crescent'. The kipferl was denser and sweeter than the modern croissant and was often filled with nuts or other fillings. Legend has it that the kipferl was created in 1683 to celebrate the defeat of the Ottomans at the siege of Vienna. The curved shape of the pastry was said to mimic the crescent moon on the Ottoman flag.

In either 1838 or 1839, Austrian artillery officer August Zang founded a Viennese bakery in Paris, serving Viennese specialties such as kipferl and the Vienna loaf. The bakery, located at 92 Rue Richelieu on the Right Bank, quickly became popular, with Parisians flocking to sample its delights. Zang's marketing prowess, including newspaper advertising and elaborate window displays, ensured the bakery's success.

The French version of the kipferl was named for its crescent shape—in French, 'croissant'. The Parisian version of the kipferl was made flakier than its Austrian counterpart, and it was this new variation that would become a staple of French breakfasts. Within a few decades, the croissant was firmly entrenched as a beloved breakfast food in France.

The transformation of the kipferl into the croissant was completed when French bakers replaced the brioche dough with puff pastry. This change, combined with the retention of the kipferl's distinctive crescent shape, altered the taste of the pastry, creating the beloved French delicacy we know today.

The croissant's journey from Austria to France is a fascinating example of culinary evolution, demonstrating how a pastry can be adapted and embraced by a new culture, becoming an iconic symbol of that culture's cuisine.

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