We’re all aboard the if it ain’t broke don’t fix it train, especially when it comes to infallible classics like a croissant. While there’s nothing we would change, we are also happy to welcome four inspired variations of this pastry with arms (and mouths) wide open.
Mochi Croissant from Brother Bird Milk & Croissants
If you’ve had their mochi donuts before, you’d know that if anyone can pull off mochi croissants, it’ll be these guys. And that’s exactly what they’ve done at their second outlet. Underneath the golden brown flaky layers of impressive lamination is a slightly buttery, chewy centre. The original croissant is a menu staple, alongside a rotation of flavours including matcha, almond and other seasonal specials. Cruffins (croissant muffins) and mochi donuts pop up on the counter occasionally too. Call ahead to avoid disappointment.
Baklava Croissant from Artichoke
If you consider the similarities between buttered filo layers and a croissant’s laminated dough, this makes perfect sense. We were hoping that chopped nuts would be burrowed within the buttery sheets, but the blanket of frangipane gets the job done too. We liked the light varnish of orange blossom honey, which gave it just the right amount of sticky finish sans cloying sweetness!
Brulee Croissant from Asanoya Boulangerie
First came the oozetastic Lava Cube Bread; now they’ve taken it up a notch by putting croissant dough into the square same mould, brûléeing the top layer and finally, piping in fresh cream. We were a little disappointed that the torching was done beforehand, but the caramelised sugar pane was still crackly. The cream is piped just before serving, so you get to enjoy the contrasting textures of cold, cloud-like cream against flaky buttery layers. Absolutely yum!
CroToast from St. Marc Cafe
Imagine having French toast that uses croissant instead of brioche as a base, and from the ChocoCro makers, no less! The result? An enhanced Shibuya toast with crisped up croissant edges you’ll fall in love with, just like Burppler I Makan Sg did. Lest it gets too rich, the CroToast comes with a cup of espresso that you can dip into — this balances the sweetness from the red beans and matcha ice cream, and truly is “a beautiful marriage of hot and cold, sweet and bitter”.
