Fry Day-Old Croissants in Ghee and Cinnamon Sugar
My love for grocery store croissants is well known. While they lack the airy texture you’d find in a Parisian bakery, they’re deliciously soft and rich, and I wouldn’t be upset if they got a little stale. I have mitigation strategies, some of which are even tastier than a regular croissant. I usually make croutons or croissants brittle , but one night I decided to use a stale croissant to make cinnamon sugar toast, frying it in melted butter to give it texture and flavor.
This dish, which doesn’t really have a name, falls between cinnamon sugar toast and the aforementioned brittle croissants. Ghee gives the cinnamon and sugar a chance to stick, and when fried, the sweet, flavorful mixture caramelizes onto the thin, flaky layers of dough, effectively sugaring them. It’s divine and so easy to make that even a very tall person can do it. (Not that I know anything about it.)
I like to use ghee because it doesn’t brown like butter. This will make it a little easier to keep track of your sugar levels since you won’t have to worry about confusing browned milk solids with caramelized sugar chunks. Of course you can use butter; it will still taste good, although I recommend turning the heat down a little so the butter doesn’t burn before the sugar caramelizes. Enjoy these crunchy treats with a little jam, a scoop of ice cream, or on their own.
Toasted croissant toast with cinnamon
Ingredients:
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Yesterday’s croissants
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ghee or butter
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3 teaspoons sugar
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1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cut the croissants in half. Mix cinnamon and sugar and set aside. Spread softened melted butter or brush melted butter over the exposed insides of the croissant, then coat with a generous layer of cinnamon sugar.
Place half the croissant in a nonstick pan, sugar side down, and set heat to medium (if using ghee) or medium-low (if using butter). Fry for a few minutes until the sugar melts and turns golden and crisp. Remove from pan and let cool for a few minutes before eating to allow sugar to harden. Repeat until you run out of croissants.