Wondering what is the difference between a croissant and cornetto? The croissant and cornetto have similarities in appearance and origin, taking inspiration from the Austrian / Hungarian Kipferl, however there are differences between the pastries both in taste and preparation. This article will explore how the French and the Italian pastry differ, while agreeing on one major similarity; they are both delicious breakfast options to start your day.
See our post on what Italians eat for breakfast.
Firstly let’s start with the history of the pastries.
Where do the Cornetto and the Croissant originate?
The cornetto and the croissant derive from the Austrian / Hungarian pastry called Kipferl, a half-moon crescent shaped bread roll popular throughout Central Europe.
In 1839, an Austrian named August Zang, opened a bakery in Paris, called La Boulangerie Viennoise selling pastries including the Kipferl. Due to its popularity, French bakers reinvented the pasty, using yeast calling it a croissant, meaning crescent in French. In 1915, the first recipe of a croissant was written by French Baker Sylvain Claudius Goy.
The Kipferl recipe arrived in Italy in the late 1600’s due to trade between Vienna and the former Republic of Venice, from where it spread throughout Italy. Which brings us to the question, what is the difference between a croissant and a cornetto?
The difference between a cornetto and a croissant
The preparation of both the croissant and the cornetto undergo a process called laminating, where yeast-leavened dough is rolled out and folded into thin layers, then made into half moon shapes.
The Cornetto
In southern and central Italy, the pastry is known as a cornetto, meaning “little horn” in Italian, whereas in the north of Italy, the pastry is referred to as a brioche.
The ingredients for a cornetto are flour, eggs, sugar, milk, butter, yeast and salt. Egg yolk is brushed on the top providing a golden color. The croissant recipe differs from the cornetto, in that it includes more butter, but no eggs and less sugar.
A plain cornetto is called a cornetto semplice or vuoto. The Italian word ‘semplice’ means simple in English, whereas ‘vuoto’ means empty. Cornetti with fillings are known as cornetto ripieno. Popular options include cornetto alla marmellata (with jam or marmalade), cornetto alla crema (with custard), cornetto al cioccolato (often filled with nutella) and cornetto al miele (usually made with whole-wheat integral bread and filled with honey). In Sicily and Sicilian pasticcerie throughout Italy, cornetti are sometimes filled with gelato.
The Croissant
A croissant is light and buttery with a flaky and crispy texture. Traditionally the croissant is sold without fillings, however people often spread butter and marmalade on the croissant for breakfast, or fill with savory ingredients such as cheese and ham for a lunchtime snack. Other French pastries with sweet fillings include, pain au chocolat and pain aux raisins. For breakfast, the French tend to drink a café au lait with their croissant, whereas the Italians prefer a cappuccino or espresso with a cornetto.
Croissant vs Cornetto which is better?
This is very much the apples vs oranges argument, because the two are so different that to call one better than the other would be wrong. If you prefer a savory pastry to start your day, then indeed a croissant is for you, whilst for those with a sweeter tooth will more than likely prefer a cornetto.
Great places for a croissant in Rome, include Il Panificio owned by famed baker Gabriele Bonci, where you can also pick up some of Rome’s best pizza, a variety of bread, biscuits and cakes. Alternatively, for an authentic taste of France, head over to Le Carré Français for freshly made croissants, baguettes, pastries, gallettes, croque-monsieur and croque-madame.
For more information see our Rome travel Guide.