by Lori Baltazar
Its size stupefies, firstly and surely. Measuring approximately eight inches from end to end or if I stretch my pinky and thumb as far as they can go, that’s the extent of pleasure promised. This is the Almond Croissant served at Java+, the Marriott’s satellite café.
Italians call a croissant a cornetto, part of their daily morning fare which they chew on in between sips of a cappuccino. The French call a croissant the ultimate breakfast, while I call a croissant, especially this one, a rare affair. Because the Marriott is so far removed from my stomping grounds, I utilize every opportunity to stock up on my supply – only to blow it all in one fell swoop. Such is the effect of this croissant that it encourages – nay, urges! – embarrassing consumption and leaves mortifying messes on the kitchen table.
An exceptional croissant possesses puffy, parchment-thin skin. It’s made by the laminating method, wherein butter is rolled into the dough and folded over repeatedly, creating hundreds of layers. I look at its surface closely and see minute bubbles, pockets of air trapped for eternity by the heat of the oven. They promise shattering crispness, a prelude to the flaky crumb inside.
A butter croissant (above) is fine but I like the almond croissant best. As opposed to the more “constricted” crescent shape of the former, the almond croissant is a stretched out crescent, its surface scattered with sliced almonds and a shower of powdered sugar. Hidden within the whorls of pastry – or is it air? – is a trail of pastry cream perfumed with vanilla and almond essence. Velvety-smooth, sweet, and silent, it holds its own against the seeming cacophony of the croissant’s toasty counterpoint and the crunch of those almonds.
When you go to Java+, have a look at the flaky pastries set before you. The butter croissants are fabulous and you can’t go wrong with those Danish pastries, edible pinwheels seemingly spinning in the pin lights. But I spur you to go for the almond croissants. Wipe out the café’s supply as I’ve done, and then have two for breakfast. Eat them all by yourself. As I have done.
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Almond Croissant (P90) at Java+
Marriott Hotel Manila
No. 10 Newport Boulevard, Newport City Complex
Pasay City, Manila
(02)988 9999
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Croissant Contest
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at php90, a large croissant like that is a steal!
The way you wrote it made me want to drive out there now, as in now!
I gotta agree with K. It’s a real bargain at that price.
In the 90’s the ones Dunkin’ Donuts and Mr. Donuts respectively offered were really good! Light, fluffy and buttery! Especially the Tuna Croissandwhich!
Really good croissants wouldn’t need anything else..even jam.
These days, I get croissants from French Baker but I find the outer crust usually overcooked. Marks and Spencer in Eastwood also offers them too and it’s not so bad.
One last thing, one of my favorite movie scenes (if not the only scene) involving croissants, is the one from “It’s Complicated” where Meryl Streep demonstrates to Steve Martin how to cook croissants.
I love this section on my fave French pastry Lori! 🙂
i liiiike!
I adore almond croissants too! 🙂 Even more than its chocolate counterpart! Especially when the sweet almond paste is smooth and when crust is buttery ang lightly falls apart in the mouth. I wonder how this compares to Lartizan’s delicious almond croissant?
Thank you so much Lori for this post!!! My dad-in-law liked a similar croissant offered at Starbucks Bangkok. He asked if it was also offered in Manila, sadly no, I told him. I even caught him daydreaming about that croissant after we got back from that vacation. :p I’m so glad I saw your post! Now I can surprise him with a croissant or two…hopefully it will put a smile on his face. 😀
Can’t help but drool at this.