OOH LA LA! Olympic athletes in Paris are being treated to a range of classic French cuisine in the Games village, with a whopping 800 traditional croissants served each day.
So how can you replicate this at home?
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Laura Stott gives supermarket croissants the taste testCredit: Damien McFadden
Laura Stott tucked into a variety of supermarket own bakes to find the best, giving each a score out of five.
Rowan Hill Bakery
Lidl, £1.39 for 8 (17p each)
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These Lidl croissants were soft, squishy and rather blandCredit: Damien McFadden
THIS bumper bag of Lidl pastries offers great value. Ingredients including palm oil are not especially authentic, and although there is some butter listed, it’s in the form of concentrated milk instead of the real deal. A soft, squishy and rather bland treat.
RATING: 2/5
HW Nevills
Tesco, £1.39 for 8 (17p each)
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Tesco Nevill’s croissants were surprisingly deliciousCredit: Damien McFadden
THESE plain croissants are made with three per cent butter and, for the price, deliver a surprisingly delicious pastry that tasted far more superior than the quite dull – and inexplicably English-style – packaging might suggest.
RATING: 5/5
All Butter Croissants
Co-op, £3.20 for 4 (80p each)
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Co-op’s croissants are as close to the real deal as you can getCredit: Damien McFadden
MAIS oui! Made with 25 per cent real French butter, sourdough wheat and top-quality ingredients generally, these are delightfully light, crisp and puffy. As close to the real deal as you will find on a supermarket shelf, but at a higher price than the rest.
RATING: 4/5
All Butter Croissants
Tesco, £2 for 8 (25p each)
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Tesco’s all butter croissants tasted good warmed but the outside was a touch greasyCredit: Damien McFadden
WHILE offering decent value for money these were a bit on the small side. Lovely flaky exterior, although the insides were a little dry and the outside was a touch greasy. They taste good oven-warmed or toasted with straw- berry jam.
RATING: 3/5
My easy air fryer chocolate croissants are the ultimate snack after school and you only need three ingredients The Bakery
Asda, £1.60 for 6 (26p each)
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Asda’s croissants were buttery, fluffy and extremely enjoyableCredit: Damien McFadden
SOFT, buoyant and very tasty, these were a pleasant surprise and, truth be told, my expectations had been rather low. Instead these were buttery, fluffy and extremely enjoyable. A bit light and small, but puffy with lots of height and air.
RATING: 3/5
La Boulangere
Sainsbury’s, £1.50 for 6 (25p each)
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These long life croissants are good to eat on the goCredit: Damien McFadden
THIS bag of long-life scoffs proudly declares it was made in France, with whole French eggs for richness. They were individually wrapped so you can easily grab one or two to eat on the go. A good choice for freezing, too.
RATING: 4/5
All Butter Croissants
Morrisons, £2.19 for 8 (27p each)
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Morrisons’ all butter croissants were a little dry and uninspiringCredit: Damien McFadden
A DECENT golden hue on the outside and not a bad size, but I found them a little dry and uninspiring. Despite the high butter content, they lacked the flaking exterior and fresh dough when you rip one open for your breakfast.
RATING: 2/5
Almond Croissants
Aldi, £1.49 for 2 (74p each)
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These Aldi almond croissants are yummy, nutty and butteryCredit: Damien McFadden
THESE posh pastries are yummy, nutty and buttery. With a creamy and rich flaking, they smell lovely. They are filled with almond paste and topped with a generous amount of flaked nuts. Perfect al fresco with a cup of coffee.
RATING: 3/5