The "Cronut" Is Sweeping Through Major US Cities
On May 10, Dominique Ansel debuted a new addition to the baking & pastry arts and changed the culinary landscape for desserts in the United States. In his bakery in New York City’s SoHo neighborhood, his signature “cronut,” – a cross between a donut and croissant – is becoming a foodie favorite and sweeping the nation.
Breaking down the cronut
Why this tasty treat is becoming so popular is anyone’s guess, but according to Grub Street, the process of making these pastries is actually quite difficult. Because it is part donut and part croissant, each cronut needs to be sheeted, laminated and proofed while still in dough form. Then, they are fried like a donut and rolled in sugar. However, that is just the base form of this culinary delight. From here, pastry chefs will often incorporate rose glazes, Tahitian vanilla cream, chocolate or pretty much anything you would add to a regular donut. The possibilities are endless.
Not an easy task
Ansel has been praised for this confection because of his ingenuity and creativity, but many foodies in New York are also impressed with the skill it takes to make each and every one of these pastries. If you have ever tried to fry croissant dough during your online pastry school, you might already know that the results are uneven, at best. Even experienced chefs can make lumpy and less-than-appetizing versions of a cronut.
According to Grub Street, Ansel had to try 10 different recipes before developing one that was just right. Although he didn’t give away all of his secrets, he did say that he has a special trick for sheeting his cronuts and uses grapeseed oil to fry them. However, the temperature of the oil is something he is keeping under wraps.
Taking off by storm
NYC isn’t the only city that has fallen in love with the cronut. Jay Leno recently cracked a joke about the confection during his opening stand-up routine, showing that this dessert is definitely gaining some steam in the foodie world. Cities like Chicago are taking full advantage of this craze by selling “dossants” and “croughnuts,” as the original name for Ansel’s creation has already been trademarked, according to the Chicagoist.
Do some research and see this flaky delight is in your city. Chances are, this dessert is not going anywhere, so you may want to see it for yourself to further your skills as a culinary academy chef.
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