Croissant Making in Paris
Our chef leading us through our croissant making class on the edge of Saint-Germain-des-Prés.
There are few food memories that haunt you for the rest of your life. I say “haunt” simply because in the moment of tasting, it is so unbelievably delicious that you KNOW you will think of it often and not be able to indulge because inevitably, the food is hundreds, maybe even thousands, of miles away from where you live. So you better enjoy it now, because for the rest of your life, you will think of that time you ate a croissant fresh out of the oven in Paris, and no croissant will ever be as good again. It kind of ruins croissants for you, but it is so mind-blowingly good for those few moments of culinary bliss, that you know it’s worth it.
The pain au chocolat I ate fresh out of the oven during my croissant making class in the heart of Paris haunts me to this day. I think of it longingly every time I go into an American cafe and see beautiful croissants, that by midwestern standards are perfectly tasty, and know that it will not hit as hard as it did that sunny spring day in that beautiful little kitchen situated in a quinessential Parisian courtyard.
The beautiful kitchen where we worked. I loved the green walls, the works of art, and the (not pictured) dark wood cabinetry lining the walls.
I originally found the Croissant making class on AirBnb experiences, but you can book directly through the cooking school, Maison Fleuret. I opted for croissants, but they also offer macaron, soufflé, and eclair classes, to name a few. Whatever French patisserie you dream of recreating in your home kitchen, it’s likely there is a class to accommodate that desire.
Much of the class was spent rolling and waiting, as croissant making takes much time and patience.
With a maximum number of eight students in each class, the chef is able to easily answer and attend to any questions or needs that arise. We learned how to properly fold and roll and wait, and fold and roll and wait, etc, etc. Our chef was also quick to help us correct any potential mistakes, guiding us back to better rolling or folding.
Getting the hang of folding.
Our not-so-perfect but ready to be perfectly delicious croissants and pain au chocolats, waiting to proof in the oven.
Our chef, making sure everything was just right.
After much practice folding and rolling, we were finally able to cut our croissants in the shapes needed to make those perfect spirals. Into the oven they went; first for proofing, then for baking.
If I could somehow find a way for you to smell this image, I would do it in a heartbeat. Hea-ven-ly!
Finally! After nearly 2.5 hours, we were able to taste the fruits - eh, croissants- of our labor.
Perfection! Crispy outside, perfectly aerated, light and fluffy on the inside. Once again, I find myself longing to relive this moment.
Although it may be years before I am able to once again have a Parisian croissant fresh from the oven, one great thing about the class is that a detailed copy of the recipe with illustrated instructions is sent home with you. In fact, for Christmas with my family, I spent all day trying to re-create this moment of pure delicious delight for my family. I purchased French flour, expensive European butter, and the proper type of yeast (which you will learn about in the class). Despite my efforts, my lack of a way to properly proof did me in. They tasted good, but they were nowhere near that moment that would forever haunt me, pictured above. However, because that recipe is now in my possession thanks to Maison Fleuret, you better believe I will be trying again soon, because for the rest of my life, I will forever be chasing the high of this culinary experience.