It is a French staple that has passed the test of time, but the croissant is now getting a very British makeover to suit breakfast habits this side of the Channel.
In the latest addition to the growing list of “Frankenpastries” which have taken the world by storm in recent years, Marks & Spencer has launched the first croissant loaf, or what it calls the “croloaf”.
The hybrid pastry was described by the retailer as the “perfect fusion of the French and British breakfast”. Unlike croissants, it does not need to be eaten on the day it is baked, despite being made with French butter and an all-butter egg pastry, but “tastes just as good a few days after” as long as it is toasted, M&S said.
While a whole croloaf contains more than 1,000 calories, a slice contains 114 calories, which is a third of the 340 calories in the average croissant, the retailer added. The croloaf costs £2.40.
M&S said it was inspired after seeing similar loaves in artisan bakeries and in the US, such as the version at Beurrage in Chicago. Its launch comes weeks after Dominique Ansel, the French-born pastry chef credited with creating the cronut – a croissant-doughnut hybrid – opened his first bakery in London.
A spokeswoman for M&S, Sadia Usman, said: “Our croissant loaf is perfect for those who like the convenience of grabbing a slice of toast for breakfast but love the delicious buttery taste of croissants. Now they don’t have to compromise and can enjoy the best of both … [It] is the perfect fusion of French and British breakfast.”
In February, a decision by Tesco to straighten out its curly croissants divided opinion among top French chefs and bakers over which shape was the most authentic. But French culinary specialists were relaxed about the emergence of the croloaf.
“The croissant will always be a croissant and people who seek it will get one,” said Richard Bertinet, whose Bertinet bakeries in Bath are renowned for their French bread and pastries. “I’m sure I’ve taken leftover croissant dough and baked it in a tin before, so it’s nothing new, but it’s innovative for M&S to do that on a bigger scale.
“I just hope it’s a nice product inside, that they use good butter, there are no chemicals, they don’t add many additives. Food is there to be relaunched, recreated and revived. If people have the craving for it, it’s fine. The pleasure of getting up in the morning and getting a good coffee and a good croissant, you can’t beat that. The croissant will always be the croissant. If a byproduct of it happens, then let’s try it. If it’s a fad it won’t last very long, but it will be good PR.”
Michelle Wade, whose Maison Bertaux in Soho is a top destination for croissant connoisseurs, agreed with the sentiment. “I’m sure all throughout the history of cuisine a lot of great recipes were created by accident, and different things were developed,” she said.
“It might turn out to be the loveliest thing ever or it might just be a bit of silliness. Who knows until you taste it? I’m sure you can make different types of these croloafs depending on the croissant recipe it starts off from, so there are going to be different standards of croloafs around. Like cronuts, they’re delicious, but there are some that are horrible.”
Wade said that “sometimes you’ve got to go with the flow a bit”, adding: “Curiosity is key. I’m going to go out and get a croloaf today.”
