We've all heard the saying "breakfast is the most important meal of the day," but when you're caught up in the morning rush it can be a struggle to find time for a filling breakfast. To really start your day off right, look no further than pastries. A classic breakfast food, baked pastries are versatile, quick, and often pretty portable. From croissants to cinnamon rolls, there's almost certainly a pastry to suit anyone's breakfast tastes. Here at Sunflour Baking Company we want to make your breakfast decisions as easy as possible, so to get you started, here's a list of our top 5 favorite breakfast pastries.
Croissants
Commonly associated with France, croissants actually originated in Austria. This flaky, buttery pastry is a breakfast staple in many parts of Europe, but can also be found on breakfast tables around the US. Croissants are made with dough with butter by layering butter and pastry dough which gives them their signature texture. It's not all layer of butter (salted or unsalted butter) and dough though. Croissants can also include almond or chocolate filling, or be sliced to include fruit, Nutella, lemon curd, or even ham and cheese. Here at Sunflour Baking Company, we make our croissants by hand and if you're feeling extra sweet, we can add in almond or chocolate to suit your fancy.
Danishes
Much like the croissant, danishes were also an Austrian invention now associated with a completely different country: Denmark. The resemblance doesn't end there though. Like croissants, danish pastry dough is also made by layering multiple levels of dough and butter and then baking, so the end result has a similar flaky texture. Unlike croissants, danishes come in many more varieties. They can be filled with cream cheese filling, vanilla custard, jam, cherry pie filling, fruity filling almonds, and a number of other options. Danishes are also often topped with chocolate, nuts, preserves, fruit, thicker icing, or thinner icing. With so many varieties, it's no wonder danishes are such a staple breakfast food and a favorite for the pastry chef.
Cinnamon Rolls
Nothing says breakfast like a nice warm cinnamon roll. Popular in Scandinavia and North America, cinnamon rolls are made from a combination of pastry dough, butter, granulated sugar, and — you guessed it! — cinnamon. Sometimes raisins are added, a teaspoon vanilla extract is added, or cardamom, if you live in Sweden. Here in the United States, we like to up the sweetness even more with a sugar-based icing or, like we prefer at Sunflour Baking Company, a cream cheese frosting. Make sure to watch out if you're visiting Kansas, though, you might be surprised to find they enjoy their cinnamon rolls with chilli!
Brioches
Though croissants are often the pastry most associated with France, brioche is a pastry that actually originated in France. There is a golden brown look to most brioche. Brioche is prepared similarly to bread, but the addition of egg yolk, butter, and milk or cream makes it more like a pastry. Brioche can be served sweet or savory. Fillings like fruit, chocolate chips, vanilla cream, heavy cream, or jam are perfect for a sweet breakfast, while sausage or even foie gras if you're fancy can turn brioche into a more savory meal.
Fun Fact: King Cakes, which in the US are often associated with Mardi Gras, are made from brioche in France.
Galettes
Another breakfast pastry with French origin is the galette, a flat pastry dough variation that can either be used to make crepes or can be folded around filling and baked to resemble a rustic, free-form pie. Baked galettes can use either a sheet of puff pastry as the base or a dough similar to that used to bake brioche. With sweet and savory varieties, galettes are super versatile and can be made to fit almost anyone's taste. Sweet galettes often include seasonal fruits with a variety of spices or zests. Savory galettes can include eggs, meat, vegetables, and other similar ingredients.
Breakfast doesn't have to be a hassle or a bland meal that you dread every morning. With so many tasty pastry options, both cold and warm pastries, there's truly something for everyone to enjoy. At Sunflour Baking Company we're obsessed with baking, but even more than that, we're committed to supporting our community. We love helping you start your day right with an enjoyable breakfast.
Make sure to check out our menu for more breakfast and lunch options and contact us if you have any questions. Plus, if you're looking for some more food inspiration, peruse these spring seasonal fruits to enjoy before they go out of season.
Sources:
https://altohartley.com/a-brief-history-of-the-croissant/
https://www.slowtravelstockholm.com/food-and-drink/history-cinnamon-bun/
https://www.kansas.com/living/food-drink/article177205201.html