Croissant (lighthearted)

[CocoandCleo]

Just been to Costa for a iced latte and a croissant, baby was up at about half 4 so caffeine definitely needed.

I've not had one from Costa before but their croissants are straight from the pack, not heated in the oven, so just bready and floppy, not crisp and soft inside. Disappointing. don't think coffee shops should serve croissant unless they are cooked in the oven.

YABU - Croissants straight from the pack as they come are fine

YANBU - this is a crime against pastry

YANBU, on the upside it wasn't heated in a microwave. Which is by far the biggest crime for any pastry or worse, scone.

@Sweetmotherofallthatisholyabov

YANBU, on the upside it wasn't heated in a microwave. Which is by far the biggest crime for any pastry or worse, scone.

Agreed!

For me, a croissant is calorific, therefore it must be delicious to be worth it. A flaccid, leather, packet croissant doesn't cut it.

Agree! Always disappointed when eating pastries at places like
Starbucks and Costa!

Costa is awful, I hate everything from there. If I want caffeine I certainly wouldn’t bother with them. And the coffee is always lukewarm, I only get it hot when I ask for it specifically hot.

I avoid it normally but was only option when I took the charges I nanny for to their club.

It sounds like you needed the sugar / coffee fix…

… but Costa is really, truly awful. Awful coffee, sad, dated interiors that look like motorway services.

It makes me feel a bit sad to see our lovely independent with only a few people in it but scores of people inside Costa. The coffee really is shite.

Caffè Nero bakery is pretty good. Not a packet in sight

Now I’m on maternity leave it’s independent coffee shops all the way, I don’t go near costa. It’s very popular though. Always packed out, I don’t get it.

I agree that they should always be warm from the oven.
DD eats them straight from the pack. clearly she is weird.

Dip croissant in hot coffee. That’s my way of dealing with sub standard croissants.

Yanbu. Agree with PP not to waste the Calorie on a sub standard baked item. I like a good scone but won't countenance one unless it is freshly baked and warmed in an oven.

Also try Nero's next time. Their croissants usually OK and their Flat Whites actually taste of coffee.

I got a cheese and ham croissant from Gail’s the other day and they don’t heat theirs at all! Just slop on a plate.

I like Coffee No1, they do lovely massive toasted teacakes.

Croissants should crisp on the outside, flaky and tender on the inside and buttery throughout.
It seems to me that many places serve day old (or worse) croissants which is why they're leathery and floppy. And sometimes they're just poor quality (British) ones anyway.
You can revive a stale croissant by reheating it but a good freshly baked one should be crisp etc and gorgeous whether it's warm or cool.
In France croissants are generally served at room temp - I've never had a hot one - and people do often dunk them in a hot milky coffee. Each to their own.
(The French think we're barbarians anyway for putting butter and jam on croissants. )

YANBU. The floppy ones are supposed to be put in the oven - they are only half baked, otherwise they’d already be crispy
I second going to your local independent coffee shops. Costa m, Starbucks etc make decent coffee but the food is over priced shit.

Urgh. How dare they?

I tried a gorgeous indie coffee shop a few weeks ago in my local town. Aside from the fact I had a lovely cappuccino (sat outside on their terrace in the sun. BY MYSELF Bliss) they sold almond croissants - and they were huge - for 95p!!!

I couldn't believe how cheap it was! Delicious and well worth the calories.

I think I may revisit.

If ever we have croissants at home we warm them in the oven, not the microwave.

dons hard hat for confessing to enjoying almond croissants

[quote tellmewhentheLangshiplandscoz]> dons hard hat for confessing to enjoying almond croissants

Thanks all! Glad it's not just me.

Trust me I prefer an independent cafe (even a pret would be preferable) but my local high street is a bit lacking and my usual fave is closed on a Monday and a Tuesday!

dons hard hat for confessing to enjoying almond croissants

It's fine to like almond or apricot croissants (although not the chocolate and hazelnut ones, they taste artificial and sickly) but they are in a different category to plain ones, which have their own delicious simplicity.
They each have a place and time.

Favourite croissants - individually sold ones from Lidl bakery section, generally good without heating. If there is a duff batch, easy to see they don't look right and avoid (usually under or overbaked).
Only surpassed by a superb french patisserie opposite the office where I used to work - but £2.80 compared to less than 40p at Lidl... & £3.50 for amazing gatueax or fruit tartlet.

Just as well I don't live close to a branch of Lidl.

YNBU. Who wants an expensive, cold, dry croissant? Coffee shops have some nerve serving that shit.