Baking| Fresh, Fluffy, French … Croissants with the Daring Bakers
“It’s only 30p more for an Ottolenghi croissant than 1 at Euphorium. I’d scoop the 30p from Trafalgar Sq fountain with my shoe if I had to!”
Daniel @ Young and Foodish on twitter
If this hadn’t been a Daring Bakers challenge, I wouldn’t have baked croissants during the monsoons in India! Don’t get me wrong. Croissants are something I have long waited to bake, the shove in the right direction very much needed … but ‘Hot & humid at 35C‘ is obviously not croissant happy weather!
Yes, it was time to go retro this month with Julia Child and Simone Beck tempting us to try these French delights … Fresh, Fluffy, French! My croissants were Fresh and French alright, though not as Fluffy as they characteristically should be.
The Daring Bakers go retro this month! Thanks to one of our very talented non-blogging members, Sarah, the Daring Bakers were challenged to make Croissants using a recipe from the Queen of French Cooking, none other than Julia Child!
The minute I popped the croissants into the oven, it poured like there was going to be no tomorrow! Pardon the bland pictures, but luck wasn’t on my side that day! Nevertheless, these tasted as good as they could given the pathetic weather consideration, and were gone really quick. I thought I’d do some with chocolate and others with roasted peppers and cheddar … in my dreams I guess, as I could barely get them to roll.
In true Schwarzenegger style I’m going to say, “I’ll be back“. This is quite a ‘well-behaved’ recipe when the weather is hot and humid, so I can just imagine how good it’ll be in the winter. The kids LOVED the croissants with chunks of cheddar. I chose to bake from an amended recipe on the DB forum with reduced water and oil. It worked well for me.
Thank you Sarah for a wonderful challenge that I hope to revisit soon. Thank you as always Lisa of La Mia Cucina and Ivonne of Cream Puffs in Venice for hosting this fab kitchen!! Do stop by here to see the Fresh, Fluffy & French Croissants the other daring bakers have risen to this month!
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Deeba @ PAB
About me: I am a freelance food writer, recipe developer and photographer. Food is my passion - baking, cooking, developing recipes, making recipes healthier, using fresh seasonal produce and local products, keeping a check on my carbon footprint and being a responsible foodie! I enjoy food styling, food photography, recipe development and product reviews. I express this through my food photographs which I style and the recipes I blog. My strength lies in 'Doing Food From Scratch'; it must taste as good as it looks, and be healthy too. Baking in India, often my biggest challenge is the non-availability of baking ingredients, and this has now become a platform to get creative on. I enjoy cooking immensely as well.
29 Comments
Rosa
Those croissants look lovely! You were very courageous to bake such a dish during the monsoon. Kudos to you!
Cheers,
Rosa
Mardi@eatlivetravelwrite
The only time I ever made croissants was at Ecole Lenôtre in Paris (http://www.eatlivetravelwrite.com/2011/07/making-croissants-and-pains-au-chocolat-at-ecole-lenotre-paris/) and it was enough to convince me that they are well worth whatever price I have to pay! Good on you for persevering despite the monsoon!
Neetz
look at those breads!! looking so soft and tasty!! awesome pics :).. simply wanna eat them!!!..
Shelley C
Wow – like making croissants wasn’t enough, making them during hot and humid monsoon season is a TRUE challenge! You did a wonderful job!!
Laura
Great job, especially in that temperature. The pictures look amazing nonetheless!
Aina
So Inspiring! No need to apologize for the pictures, they are absolutely wonderful. Neither the weather or wind. There are things you do not have control over anyway. As long as you had fun when you made the croissants.
Super beautiful with the small French basket and the flowers. A really great post, thank you!
Aina
Priya
Irresistible flaky croissants looks wonderful.
Anita Menon
so many steps to making the croissant that I so mindlessly toss into my grocery cart each week?
GOODness. Hats off to you daring bakers gang.
Yours look perfection.
Deeba @ PAB
I had the same thoughts Anita. Can you imagine? 1 mindless toss vs 57 steps? You should try and join the gang!
Audax Artifex
WOW I’m super impressed with your marvellous croissant made during an Indian monsoon that is an achievement marvellous work and glad to hear the children liked so much with cheese that sounds delicious. Cheers from Audax in Sydney Australia.
Renata
Even in a hot weather your croissants came out looking so flaky and delicious, Deeba!
Your photos are phenomenal!
That’s what I call “daring”
Tadka Pasta
They do look cute! Woe to the weather.. but we love your pics anyway
The Backyard Baker
Hi Deeba…..
I so agree agree with you.
Baking croissants at this time of the year in Delhi is really a challenge.
Your croissants looks great and even if you feel your pictures are not up to the way you,d like them to look, they still look great !!
Its’s always a pleasure to visit your blog.
Do drop by on my blog…..
Cheers
Indu
The croissants looks flaky and wonderful. Beautiful images, as ever
abigail @nappytales
lovely! Humidity here in Dubai was also a challenge that’s why I had to turn the AC on while working with them. Lovely photos. Happy to be baking with you this month.
Deeba @ PAB
Yes its great to know that we suffer the same ‘issues’…LOL! I yanked the AC on too but it was still too hot and I didn’t have the luxury of time. PS love the name nappytales!
Poornima
Lovely and yummy!
I am new to your blog and love all your recipes and food pics. I sent you a mail on your email ID. Not sure if your received it.
Thanks
Poornima
Deeba @ PAB
I got it Poornima. In my things to do. Will reply asap!
Gayatri
Hi Deeba,
I was introduced 2 ur blog by Ria from Ria’s collection and I am so so very happy to have found ur blog n U. Every post of urs is so beautifully wovern in a story. I can go all day reading your blog. The pics are so very beautiful n d recipes fantastic. I an deeply inspired by ur blog. Thnx a ton for being such a lovely guide.
Sally - My Custard Pie
I empathise completely! When I made croissants for the Fresh from the oven challenge it most definitely wasn’t croissant-making weather in Dubai. Unlike yours they didn’t even get to the table let alone have a beautiful shot taken (yours are never bland). Thanks for the reminder and kick-start to have another go.
Deeba @ PAB
Et tu Sally? You are too kind my friend!
Avanika (Yumsilicious Bakes)
I commend you for even attempting croissants at this time. The weather really makes it so difficult
Katherine Martinelli
Just gorgeous! I’ve always wanted to try my hand at croissants but they’ve intimidated me. I think with you and Julia Child by my side I could probably make an attempt…
Rajani
Lovely looking croissants, flaky and so inviting. So much so that it makes me hungry now :)! Btw, I have been a silent visitor to your blog for a long time, a long long time. Wanted to tell you that your blog is amazing, the pictures are absolutely great and the food is mouth watering. Don’t ever stop making your readers hungry!
Barbara @ Barbara Bakes
I think even the pics you don’t like are better than mine. So pretty. This is a challenge I’ll make again too.
kankana
If that is how it baked at that weather … I can only imagine how it would look when u bake it again in Winter.
I think it still looks awsm and croissants taste amazing all the time. Did you try making pudding with croissants .. it tastes heavenly .. much better than what it tastes with normal bread !
Stuart Rubenstein
Your Croissants are so good!! They are so flaky and light. Great Recipe!!
Stuart
Suma
I was waiting for this post, wanted to see your croissants, was out of town, so got to see them only now! I love croissants, though I have never managed reading thru the entire recipe, find the process very very intimidating…They look fab in that basket, but shall wait for you to ‘come back’ with even better ones!
Dianna
Hello,
I just read this post and I think your croissants came out pretty good.
Especially with the hot weather the butter probably became too soft and mixed into the dough which made it mostly flaky. (the butter creates the layers and when you create too many layers or the butter is too soft it mixes with the dough and the fluffyness is gone
I had the same problem at home.
But don’t be afraid to try again ^^ maybe next time it will work out great!