Make The Crispiest Croissants With An Unusual Hack

By M Lavelle
Croissants on a white plate with jam in the background Cris Cantón/Getty Images

Croissants are famous for their delicate, fluffy, overlapping, flaky layers, so the idea of smashing them might sound downright blasphemous. The French cuisine purists may cringe, but it's worth a gamble, especially if it means turning your store-bought or homemade croissants into ultra-crispy treats you can use to make all new dishes.

To create your crunchy croissants, start by rolling out the airy pastries with a rolling pin. Then, saute the croissants in a skillet with some cooking oil. To maximize your treats, drizzle them with honey or sugar, or sprinkle a punch of cinnamon or sea salt over their tops, and add some weight on top so they come out crispy, paper-thin, and caramelized. In the end, you'll wind up with a buttery, sweet disc with plenty of extra texture. 

@agoodtable

I know, I know....the things I do for recipe research! Today I made a Crunchy Candied Croissant Ice Cream Sandwich 🥐 After seeing a viral video of this creation circulating Instagram I had to try it myself. Admittedly It felt so wrong to squish a freshly baked croissant, but It tasted quite lovely, If not a little sweet. Sort of reminded me of a palmier. Upon reflection, I will continue to enjoy my croissants the traditional way, and that is for breakfast with a lovely cup of coffee or hot chocolate.

♬ Cruisin' – Tom Misch

Once you have completed your croissants, feel free to eat them fresh out of the pan. However, if you'd like to take things a bit further, we have some tasty ideas.

How to use your perfect flattened croissants

Flattened croissants with a layer of chocolate icing on one side. Muklis_7/Shutterstock

Although these crunchy croissants will taste great one by one, you can use two to create a phenomenal sandwich. Just remember to let the croissants cool slightly before adding your fillings.

Ice cream is a heavenly filling for your sugary sandwich, be it classic vanilla, strawberry, or rich chocolate. Speaking of chocolate, creamy Nutella is a delightful pairing, giving a crisp-ified twist on a standard chocolate croissant. You can slather your croissant disks with peanut butter and banana slices, or even marshmallow fluff for a sticky sugary bite. If you want something a bit fresher, try layering in fresh berries and whipped cream for a more delicate, fruity treat. Or, on the other end of the spectrum, you can try a sweet-and-salty combo by pairing your flattened croissants with prosciutto, some creamy Brie, or aged cheddar and apple slices.

If you'd rather go for something a bit simpler, a dip and some toppings can be a fun idea. Whether using chocolate sauce to adhere sprinkles or caramel for sea salt, there are plenty of delicious combinations to be had.

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