The pastry world is embracing the hybrid in full force. On display at the biggest foodservice and pastry exposition of the year, Sirha in Lyon, France, exhibitors such as Bridor introduced innovative new products. Bridor unveiled the Breizh’n’Roll, inspired by the traditional kouign amann.
Breizh’n’Roll is a recipe inspired by the traditional Breton kouign amann made from croissant dough, along with butter and sugar. The texture is both crispy and soft. Made with 100% pure butter, each 85-gram pastry features a golden, caramelized crust after baking. It is delivered frozen and bakes in less than 20 minutes.
Innovation in the pastry world continues to spread across the United States, as well. In celebration of National Croissant Day (Jan. 30), Panera Bread unveiled a new collection headlined by the almond croissant — a freshly baked, traditional butter croissant filled with cream, topped with sliced almonds and dusted with powdered sugar.
Also new, Panera’s Cheese Brittany is a flaky butter pastry named for the Brittany region in France where it originates. It is stuffed and topped with cream cheese filling. The Cherry Cheese Brittany is stuffed with cream cheese filling and topped with cherry filling.
Panera’s croissant collection includes a traditional croissant and the chocolate croissant, which is made with a chocolate-flavored cheese filling and is topped with a chocolate drizzle and powdered sugar.
In February, Godiva Chocolates opened its first North American café at Penn Station in New York City. The new café experience features a wide variety of Godiva chocolate-based items such as hot chocolate, muffins, cookies, affogato, chocolate-dipped strawberries and croiffles. The croiffle is a croissant-waffle hybrid that consists of a freshly-made buttery croissant pressed into a hot waffle that will be available in both sweet and savory flavors.
The sweet versions of the croiffle include the Dark Chocolate Croiffle and Milk Chocolate Croiffle, at $5.95 each. Savory options are Three Cheese Croiffle, Ham & Swiss Croiffle, Bacon, Egg & Gouda Croiffle and Sausage, Egg & Gruyere Croiffle.
In Campbell, California, Manresa Bread partner and head baker Avery Ruzicka has expanded offerings at her bakery’s third location with weekend brunch, a daily happy hour and a selection of delectable new toasts, starting Feb. 9. Located 50 miles south of San Francisco, the cafe opened in November and features an all-day menu, with options ranging from a Benton’s bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich to parmesan churros and a fancy iceberg wedge.
Ruzicka pulls inspiration and produce from the Campbell Farmers’ Market — hosted weekly right outside the café doors — and crafts menu items showcasing seasonal products alongside her house-milled artisan breads and laminated pastries.
Expanded brunch offerings include a seasonal French Toast with house-made jams (currently featuring Manresa Bread’s signature levain topped with mascarpone and passion fruit), as well as the Croissantwich with Benton’s bacon, fried eggs, hollandaise sauce and market vegetables.
In San Antonio, La Panadería recently introduced the Croncha. The pastry combines a flaky croissant bottom and the crumbly sweet top of the Mexican concha. It was created by owner and baker David Cáceres, after he was inspired by the invention of another hybrid pastry, the manteconcha.