7 Incredible French Pastries that Take Breakfast Meetings to the Next Level (No Offense, Donuts.)

Donuts are great, whether they’re dusted with powdery sugar, bursting with jelly, or simply shining with a humble glaze. Nobody can argue that donuts aren’t delicious. But sometimes, a box of donuts on the conference table— even delicious, warm, fresh-from-the-donut-shop donuts— won’t cut it. For an important client, a particular boss, or just a special occasion, you need some amazing breakfast meeting food ideas… and that’s where viennoiserie comes in.

Nobody makes magic out of flour, water, and yeast like the French– and viennoiserie is a term reserved for a special category of baked goods that we boorish Americans very simply call “pastries.” Viennoiserie are baked from two kinds of dough: pate viennoise (sweetened, yeast-leavened dough) or pate feuilletee (puff pastry). Croissants are viennoiserie. Brioche is viennoiserie. In fact, most of the buttery, intricately layered, simultaneously airy and rich French treats that are considered “breakfast” pastries are viennoiserie… and nothing will up your breakfast game at the next big meeting like a beautiful array of these mouthwatering treats.

Hungry yet? Get ready. Because we’ve rounded up some truly sublime examples of viennoiserie to inspire your next early-morning catering order!

1) Croissant

You have to start with the classic. From simple plain croissants to those studded with savory ham and melty Gruyere, you can’t go wrong with the beautifully buttery croissants.

2) Kouign Amann

Described by a New York Times writer as “the fattiest pastry in all of Europe,” kougin amman (pronounced like “queen ah-MON”) are certainly decadent. Sheets of leavened dough with sugar and butter layered in between, are folded and baked– resulting in a crispy, caramelized-sugar exterior with a soft, sweet interior. The end result is a cross between a croissant and brioche.

3) Chausson aux Pommes

Flaky dough is filled with a velvety, and not-too-sweet apple compote to create the most-sophisticated apple turnover you’ve ever eaten.

4) Canele

These treats are almost as lovely to look at as they are to eat. Canele have a distinct fluted shape thanks to the special copper tins they’re baked in, which are traditionally coated in beeswax. The resulting pastry has a browned, crispy crust containing a moist, custard-like interior flavored with rum and vanilla.

5) Gibassier

These Provencal treats offer a more unusual flavor profile: they are baked with olive oil, orange-blossom water, and anise seed, then dusted with sugar at the very end. A little harder to find in America than croissants– but worth looking out for!

6) Pain aux Raisins

Not as cloyingly sweet as danish, pain aux raisins are snail-shaped pastries made from buttery dough wrapped around raisins (occasionally plumped up by soaking in rum), with just a hint of custard, and glazed to perfection after baking.

7) Pain au Chocolat

Can’t get by without a little chocolate on the breakfast table? Go for pain au chocolat– essentially a rounder type of croissant with a stick or two of rich, dark chocolate in the middle.

Ready to take your next catered corporate breakfast meeting to the next level? Contact the company catering experts at Waiter.com– with abundant menus, online ordering, and prompt delivery, we make it easy to provide impressive, delectable fare– like viennoiserie– at any time of day!