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Five of a kind: Croissants

Lauren Wambach

You might love the fluffy texture and perfect crust, but there are variations on the theme of the French classic to consider.

Loafer Bread

You only get out what you put in, and nowhere is this more true than North Fitzroy's Loafer Bread. Andrea Brabazon's loaves are made with sourdough culture and biodynamic grains, while her croissants are made in the classic French style. The pastries begin with dough made with Demeter biodynamic milk, organic flour and organic sugar. Warrnambool butter is beaten into sheets on the premises rather than bought pressed. Over the course of a day, it's rolled into the dough, which is shaped and proven overnight before emerging from the oven hot and crisp the next morning. The result is a fantastic croissant with a fluffy centre and crisp curls of pastry on the outside.
Loafer Bread, 146 Scotchmer Street, Fitzroy North, 9489 0766. loaferbread.wordpress.com

Candied Bakery

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Orlando Artavilla made his mark at Sugardough in East Brunswick with soft Italian-style cornetti croissants. At new venture Candied, he's bringing it back to basics with croissants made to a classic French recipe. That said, this is the home of zany creations such as the apple pie shake and Nutri-Grain-flavoured soft serve, so it's not surprising there's a twist. Pop in and try the blue cheese croissant, where wedges of Berry's Creek Mossvale Blue are tucked inside the flaky pastry before being baked to a warm, gooey finish. The bitey blue sets off the buttery croissant beautifully. Try Candied's pain au chocolat, too, filled with a generous dollop of Nutella.
Candied Bakery, 81A Hudsons Road, Spotswood, 9391 1335. candiedbakery.com.au

Parisian Patisserie

All done up in white, Essendon's Parisian Patisserie may look chic and refined, but there's a dark side. ''One mum at school calls it the crack house,'' owner Neil McKenzie laughs. ''Once you have one, you've just got to come back.'' The addiction in question is to McKenzie's signature almond croissant. The traditional method calls for day-old croissants, but he bakes a separate batch daily with a breadier texture than his standard versions. That's so they hold up to an infusion in vanilla bean sugar syrup before being piped with almond cream (whipped unsalted butter and almond meal). The result is lavish, with a dense, almost fudgy texture and a fragrant marzipan flavour. Watch out, one bite and you may well be hooked, too.
Parisian Patisserie, 19 Keilor Road, Essendon, 9379 3815. parisianpatisserie.com.au

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Le Croissant

Le Croissant's been bringing authentic French patisserie to the good people of Hartwell since 1969. Owner Andrew Birks bought the business 10 years ago but even so, ''we're still known as 'the new owners''', he laughs. He and business partners Amy Rapsey and Tegan Don have a good baking pedigree between them, with stints at Il Fornaio, Filou's and the French Lettuce. Nevertheless, they still bake the signature croissants and millefeuille to the exact recipes and hands-on methods handed down by the original French owners. The crescent pastries are small, delicate and utterly delicious, with tender middles and a crisp shell that shatters at first bite, dusting you with incriminating crumbs.
Le Croissant, 1204 Toorak Road, Camberwell, 9809 2263.

Lune Croissanterie

Before turning her hand to croissants, Kate Reid was an aerospace engineer. It could be said that this explains the scientific precision with which she bakes her croissants. Reid begins by using Pepe Saya cultured butter in the dough, which develops a rich, complex flavour over two days of rest. Next, French Beurre d'Isigny butter is rolled in to create the croissants' airy, honeycombed texture. The heavenly result is testament not only to Reid's methodical nature but her passion as well. Other Lune delights include a pain au chocolat filled with Callebaut dark chocolate, pistachio and orange frangipane. Snap them up at cafes around town, including Collingwood's Everyday Coffee and Patricia in the CBD.
Lune Croissanterie, 9077 6463; check lunecroissanterie.com for stockists.

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