If you’ve been paying attention this week, you should by now be able to tell the difference between a viennoiserie and a pastry (pâtisserie). If not, now’s your chance to catch up. Bet you’ll never look at the confections in a bakery’s display case the same way!
But what actually makes for an authentic French viennoiserie? Is it anything made with puff pastry or leavened dough with a crunchy exterior and a soft interior? Not … necessarily. And keep in mind, except for croissants and brioche, true viennoiseries may be called something else in the U.S. So keep your eyes peeled, and if you have a regular bakery that you go to, be sure to ask the purveyor if any of the items are viennoiserie.
The most common (Gaëlle approved!) viennoiseries are:
- croissant
- pain au chocolat
- pain au raisin
- brioche
- chausson aux pommes
- palmier
I haven’t been able to find some of them in town, but maybe we can inspire the French bakeries in town to expand their menu!