How a French Chef Buys Better Croissants and Baguettes

From airy, flaky croissants to a crusty baguette, sometimes it’s impossible to resist the allure of a baked good at the grocery store, and French staples like these are some of the products we find ourselves reaching for all the time.

But not every purchase results in perfection. Shoppers often feel disappointed when the baked goods they bring home don’t live up to their expectations, and when they do end up with a box of delicious croissants, they want to make sure every bite of flaky pastry is properly enjoyed.

Food & Wine spoke with Chef Maxime Pradié, executive chef and partner at French restaurant Zimmi's in New York City, about his dos and don’ts when buying baked goods. 

At Zimmi’s, Pradié’s menu showcases regional French cuisine and the flavors of Southern France as a tribute to his paternal roots. Pastries play a crucial role in the restaurant’s menu, which features a variety of savory and sweet options, such as tarte salée and seasonal fruit tarts. While most of us certainly aren’t making the same kinds of confections as Pradié at home, the French chef has plenty of expertise that applies to your own shopping.

Here are some of his tips on buying, storing, and using French baked goods to help you make the most of all the buttery treats at your disposal.

How to select a good croissant 

Many grocery stores offer already-baked croissants, ranging from the 12-count Mini Butter Croissants at Whole Foods to bulk packs of Costco’s Kirkland Signature Butter Croissants. But how can you tell if that box of a dozen croissants is actually worth your money and pantry space? According to Chef Pradié, there are a few key elements to look for when browsing store-bought croissants.

“I think [you need] a good flakiness and spring to the lamination,” He tells Food & Wine. “Like when you cut it open, it should have really nice, even layers. It should be cooked throughout, all the way in the middle.” 

Some of these qualities might not be fully evident until you bring the croissants home, but you can watch for the right color and flakiness that a good croissant should have. If it looks bready and more like a Pillsbury crescent roll, it probably won’t be flaky enough. And if it appears light or pale in color, it could be under-baked.

If you buy stale croissants, you can still revive them

If you accidentally buy stale croissants or end up with too many pastries and don’t eat them all right away, there’s an easy way to recreate that warm, fresh-from-the-oven aroma and texture.

Pradié explains that just like “with bread, [you can] just give it either a little spray of water — or I always love the technique of dunking it in water for a little bit of time — and then reheat it in the oven.” 

The chef explains that once “you reintroduce a little water, it allows [your croissant] to reheat and steam and rehydrate,” reviving your pastry in a way that is “comparable to something that you taste on the first day, in terms of the moisture and the crunch and everything.” 

Pradié also mentions that day-old croissants can be repurposed into other treats. “You can always make a bread pudding out of it,” he explains, by replacing the bread with stale croissants. “Or if it's a plain croissant, fill it with an almond frangipane and rebake it. That's how people make almond croissants.” For a savory option, he adds, “you could stuff it with ham and cheese and make a pressed sandwich.”

How to select a good baguette or loaf of bread

When you’re browsing for the bread you want to serve with dinner, use for your sandwiches, or impatiently snack on while driving home, here are some tips to keep in mind.

As Food & Wine’s own baguette recipe notes, a proper baguette has a “crisp crust, tender center, and irregular crumb.” 

To determine if a baguette has the right texture, Pradié says, “If it has a good crumb and has a nice crackle when you squeeze it, then it isn't dry.” So if a baguette feels pillowy soft to the touch and doesn’t crackle at all, you should skip it. He also adds that, unsurprisingly, “no bakery really worth [its] salt would serve a baguette from the day before.”

A fresh baguette can be harder to find at a supermarket, so don’t hesitate to ask the bakery counter at your grocery store if any bread was baked that day. They might also tell you if there’s a specific time of day or day of the week when you’re more likely to get fresh loaves.

How to store bread to keep it fresh

When it comes to common mistakes shoppers make when buying bread, Pradié highlights the importance of being realistic about “how much you actually consume.” He stresses that “freezing whatever you don't consume immediately so that it stays fresh as long as possible” can be a game changer, preventing the waste of a beautiful loaf. He also recommends that home cooks “slice the bread and then freeze it in slices, and you can pull the slices as you need them.”

“The other thing that I think is a little bit overlooked is refrigerating bread,” Pradié adds. “Because a refrigerator is actually a high-moisture environment, it can keep bread for longer.” 

Frozen puff pastry can transform into an easy dessert

We asked Pradié about some of the best pastries or desserts one can bring to a dinner party, and the chef replied that, “ I really love fruit tarts. I love lemon tart, a beautiful raspberry crostata — something like that.” 

“So if someone wants to bring [a pastry] that's executed at a really high level with puff pastry and really thoughtfully sourced fruit, that's something that I see.” If you want to make your own fruit tart at home with store-bought puff pastry, Pradié suggests, “There's a brand called Dufour. That is good.” 

There’s a clear reason why the chef prefers this frozen puff pastry: Dufour is made with real butter, like traditional puff pastry dough, while many more affordable competitors are crafted with shortening. Although shortening-based puff pastries still “puff” just as well, Dufour offers a much richer, more buttery flavor. 

So next time you’re at the store, be sure to pick up a pack of Dufour puff pastry from the frozen aisle, along with butter, sugar, and some seasonal fruits or jam to turn into a beautiful fruit tart. Or, if fruit flavors aren't your thing, try making a Mille-Feuille.