Written by: Willie Lombard
The croissant, named for its historical crescent shape, is a French Viennoiserie that is somewhere between a bread and a puff pastry. It is buttery and flaky, and is made from yeast-leavened laminated dough.
Laminating is a process where the dough is layered with butter, rolled and folded several times in succession, and then rolled into a thin sheet. This then creates a layered, flaky texture, similar to that of puff pastry.
There is no denying that they are delicious, and eating a freshly baked croissant with breakfast just makes the start to your day so much better. In this debate, we explore people`s experiences and perceptions of the croissants they tasted at some of Pretoria`s eateries, with some establishments making excellent croissants and others that might need to improve their recipes a bit.
The Bread Gypsy
The first time I ate something from The Bread Gypsy, was when my mother introduced me to one of their vanilla cruffins. Being a sweet tooth, I was immediately hooked. Then I discovered The Bread Gypsy one Saturday morning at the Pretoria Boeremark and found that they also sell the most delicious cheese-and-tomato croissants, almond croissants, and yes, even chocolate croissants that melt in the mouth. They are deliciously buttery and flaky, and The Bread Gypsy makes their products from stone-ground flour and organic ingredients.
Judging by the speed at which their products are sold out at the Boeremark, customers absolutely love their quality and variety of freshly baked pastries.
They are situated in Roodeplaat, but they have delivery and pickup points all over Pretoria. You can also find out more about them by phoning 060 702 6266 or visiting their Facebook and Instagram profiles.
Their website also gives you the option to order their products online, so there is no reason not to treat yourself to some of their delicious, buttery, and flaky croissants.
Lucky Bread
The next time you are shopping in Brooklyn Mall, please do yourself the favour of looking for Lucky Bread. They have the most fantastic variety of croissants, from the plain buttery, flaky croissants to ham-and-cheese, bacon-cheese-feta-and-carmelized-onion, spinach-and-feta, almond, and chocolate croissants. Here you are really spoiled for choice and can sit and rest your tired feet from shopping in the mall and enjoy a delicious croissant with a hot cup of coffee.
Judging by customer reviews on the internet, they are highly praised for the quality of their croissants and the variety on offer. Some customers describe their croissants as being very “light and crispy”, exactly what one wants when eating a fresh croissant.
Find out more by phoning them on 012 534 4593 and visiting their Facebook and Instagram profiles.
Baked By Nataleen
With an average rating of 96% on Google, Baked By Nataleen comes highly recommended by customers. They are open daily from 09:00 - 17:00, but close at 15:00 on Saturdays and 13:00 on Sundays. When I spoke to Melanie, I was informed that they make delicious croissant snack boxes on order. Perfect for that next early-morning-presentation at work.
They are situated at 135 Erich Mayer Street, Pretoria North, and you can also find them on Facebook, Instagram, or by phoning them on 064 653 6218. Some of their Google reviews were extremely positive, complimenting their excellent service and attention to detail. In The Great Pretoria Croissant Debate, these traits are essential, and you can be certain that their croissants will be perfectly buttery and flaky.
Pantry By Marble
In The Great Pretoria Croissant Debate, the views of Pantry By Marble in Hazelwood Village were quite mixed. While some customers praise their cinnamon croissants, some say that their pistachio croissants` flavour could be stronger for the price you pay.
Generally, it seems that customers love their croissants` butteriness and flakiness, but the prices may be a setback for most. What most customers agree on, though, is that they have a fantastic variety of pastries. Find out more on their Facebook and Instagram profiles, or phone them on 012 051 0385.
Der Zucker Backer
Situated in Menlyn Retail Park, Der Zucker Backer provides a variety of croissants: plain croissants, croissants with mozzarella cheese, croissants with cheese and tomato, cheese and bacon croissants, and croissants with smoked salmon, avocado, and rocket.
In The Great Pretoria Croissant Debate, many reviewers on Google had mixed opinions about Der Zucker Backer. Although the service is very good and the staff are very friendly, the croissants were not as buttery and flaky as those from other establishments and could do with some improvement. But, you be the judge. Der Zucker Backer also has a wonderful German vibe, and you can also visit their Facebook and Instagram profiles, or contact them on 074 052 6850.
