A former Great British Bake Off winner has claimed that “authentic” croissants should be straight and not curved.
Blackpool’s David Atherton, who won the hit Channel 4 show in 2019, has teamed up with New York Bakery Co to educate consumers about the origins of their favorite foods.
David turned his attention to French croissants and explained how one key ingredient determines the shape of the dough.
He said: “The best croissants aren’t actually crescent-shaped, they’re straight.”
‘This is because according to (French) law, if they contain margarine instead of just butter, they must be crescent-shaped.
Pictured: Great British Bake Off contestant David Atherton with Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith after his 2019 win.
“But if they’re all butter, they’re allowed to be straight.”
What’s more, the food writer also highlighted how traditional Cornish pasties have scalloped edges.
This bark, in addition to being decorative, allowed miners to grab them without contaminating their lunch.
David said: “The fold in the side of a Cornish pasty was so the miners could hold it and have lunch without dirtying it with their dirty hands.”
In addition to this, David, who hosts the Sticky Bun podcast with former GBBO contestant Michael Chakraverty, also highlighted the strict laws governing Neapolitan margherita pizzas.
The expert continued: ‘It’s actually protected by EU law, so it has to use Italian flour, Italian tomatoes, real Italian mozzarella and it has to be kneaded by hand.
“And the crust should be between one and two centimeters high.”
David also said that a New York bagel should be boiled before baking to ensure it has a golden hue and chewy texture.
According to David Atherton, an authentic French croissant is pure if it is made with only butter.
David said, “If they have margarine instead of just butter, they have to be half-moon shaped.”
Finally, David noted that a “real” tomato ketchup should be “ruby red” in color and contain vinegar among its key ingredients.
The New York Bagel Co survey found that 59 per cent of the British public agree that food tastes better in its traditional form.
Meanwhile, 35 per cent revealed they researched the origins of their food to ensure they were eating real products.
Alastair Unite, of New York Bakery Co, said: ‘As a brand synonymous with New York’s best bagel shops and delis, we are on a mission to champion authenticity.
‘That’s why we’ve teamed up with David Atherton as the country’s leading authenticity expert.
‘Our knowledge of bagels, combined with their baking experience, means that together we can show people what to look for when purchasing bagels, as well as other favorite foods such as pizza, empanadas and pies.
‘Bagels are an absolute breakfast favorite, but not all bagels are created equal.
‘Among the factors to consider are history and heritage: bagels are synonymous with New York.
‘Then there are the iconic flavors and baking method (think boiled and baked) to deliver top-notch texture; like David said, that golden crust, generous, chewy flavor.
‘Our message is clear: if it’s not a New York bagel, it’s not a bagel. There is no substitute.’
