Little piece of heaven
The italian cornetto, the French croissant, the german gipfeli..a beloved child has many names right!? This lovely, fluffy, puff pastry has been hanging in there for many, many years..It all started back in Austria during the 13th century with the Kipferl – the ancestor of the cornetti and croissants!The modern version of the Kipferl – cornetto/croissant is a adaption from the Kipferls evolution during the 19th century in Paris. Story has it, a austrian artillery officer, August Zang founded a Viennese Bakery “Boulangerie Viennoise” at rue de Richelieu 92 in Paris. French bakers found the Kipferl interesting and started imitate the “real stuff†into the more fluffy croissant. This became massivly popular and the rest is history..
The modern cornetto is made out of a buttery, puff pastry dough and then rolled and folded into the cresent-shape we all know and love so much. Did you know that the shape of the cornetto is inspired by the moon!?
But if wrapped around chocolate, almond or praline paste it will have a different shape and turn into the french “Pain au chocolat†instead..Yes, this little baked treasure has many siblings along the world! They may come in all kinds of shapes and with different stuffing. The common thing is that the popularity runs in the family…
In Japan the cornetto comes covered with a sweet glaze and are usually filled with chocolate, in some latin american countries turned into sweetglazed “Medialunas†– Halfmoons or “Medialuna da grasa†wich is the moore unsweet sister, cause it comes with lard! In United States they come in all ranges, hot or cold, with cheese or with any kind of sweet topping..The cornetto is a lovechild and everyone seemes to be eager to parent!
Myself, a self-taught cornetto-lover prefeer the italian ones. In Roma, all sweet-tooths will be happily satisfyed..Here, the cornetto will come with all thinkable fillings..One of my favorite ones are the cornetti filled with “Nociolatteâ€.
A mix beteween Latte (milk) and Nocciola (hazelnut) with the taste of a nutty, white-chocolate paste..The classic with “Crema†(vanilla cream ) goes perfectly along with your morning-coffe, ambitious cioccolate con ricotta is divine and cioccolate bianco is made for those days you feel for a treat!
There are some hotspots through-out Roma you just have to visit if youre like me, a cornetto-connaisseur! At Living Room Cafe (Via Solferino 9a/b) conveniently located just behind Termini, they serve perfectly crispy cornetti and a good cup of cappuccino.
