Croissants

I always thought laminated doughs were hard and tedious and overly difficult for the average human/baker. Turns out that's not exactly true, but they do require a lot of patience.

Last week in my L'Academie pastry class, we finished a batch of absolutely beautiful croissants and I just might be in love.

When you make them right, croissants have a richly-colored crust and a variety of textures; if you take one between your fingers and give it a gently squeeze, you can hear the outer shell crackle and sweet steam escapes and you can't help but peel off a layer and savor every bite.