We got to try baking St Martin's croissants at a museum in Poznan. So, what are St Martin croissants? We're going to tell you about it in today's post. We also have some photos from the beautiful city of Poznan.
Table of contents
Poznan in Poland
Poznan is Poland's fifth largest city and offers an incredibly beautiful old town with colourful and decorated houses. We were absolutely fascinated when we saw the square, so... fantastic beautiful and charming!
The city is famous for two goats that appear on top of the clock in the Town Hall when the clock strikes 12:00, and fight each other 12 times. Poznan is also known for its St Martin's croissants, which we will tell you more about today.
Poznan is just over 30 kilometres south-west of Gdansk in Poland.
St Martin croissants
St Martin's croissants are not just any croissants, but a special variety produced in Poznan, Poland, and a few other places in the same region. The pastry has been protected by the EU since 2008 under the name 'Rogal świętomarciński' and can only be made by specific certified producers in this area.
The pastry, sometimes referred to as 'Poznan's sweetest symbol', is named after St Martin. According to legend, the saint's sacred horse once lost a horseshoe, and a pastry was baked in the shape of that horseshoe. In some places, the popular croissants are eaten on St Martin's Day, which falls on 11 November, but they can also be enjoyed all year round.
St Martin croissants are made from dough and filled with a sweet filling including poppy seeds. Before being served, they are glazed with a sugary icing. In the photo, I'm holding a half in my hand, so that's why the fancy horseshoe shape is not really visible ...
Poznan Croissant Museum and Experience
We tried a fun experience at the Poznan Croissant Museum and Experience. We attended a 'Croissant Show', which means you get to watch (and participate) in the creation of the famous pastries. It's also an entertaining show as the presenters talk about everything from EU regulations to stories of saints, with a great dose of humour.
At the beginning of the show, they asked who wanted to bake. Everyone who raised their hand received a baking cap and could then be called up to roll, cut, fold or stuff. Guess who signed up? Peter of course! He didn't look very happy about the tiny roll he got first ...
He didn't protest, however, but rolled over nicely.
Eventually he got a real rolling pin, and then things got a little better!
For real, it takes a long time to knead and roll the dough, and it has to rest in between, and then it has to be baked. You can't wait for this, and since we "pretend bakers" don't have the certificate either, our pastries can't be served either. The St Martin croissants that we got to taste at the end were not baked by us, but by experts. Really good!
Despite this, baker Peter received a diploma after the show. What does the diploma say? We have no idea, as it is in Polish.
More to see and do in Poznan
Poznan is a large and historically interesting city, and there is of course much more to do than bake and eat St Martin croissants. We walked around with a guide, in cooperation with the Polish Tourist Board, and also cycled around on our own (yes, we brought our bikes!). Since we want to write good and informative reports, without stressing too much during the trip, we have decided to save some for more comprehensive reports when we get home.
Stay with your motorhome in Poznan
If you are travelling by campervan and want to stay at a campsite, Camping Malta is nearby. The Polish tourist office recommended it to us and it looks like a good location, but this time we preferred to park as close to the centre as possible. We therefore chose a car park that we found via the CamperContact app, Parking Chwaliszewo. It may not be super cheap because you pay by the hour, but it was very close to the Old Town and all the sights. And in general, prices are very low in Poland, which is nice when travelling around.
More to see and do in the neighbourhood
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Have you visited Poznan?
Have you visited Poznan? We highly recommend a visit to this historic city, and don't miss out on the croissants!
Facts about Poznan Croissant Museum and Experience
- Address: Stary Rynek 41/2 (entrance from Klasztorna Street 23)
- Booking: muzeum@rogalowemuzeum.pl or +48 690 077 800
- Language: Shows are given in English and Polish (shows can also be pre-booked for groups in French and German).
- Read more: You can find more information at Rogalowemuzeum
Prices
The prices below are valid for 2020. Please note that the exchange rate may vary and changes may occur. For current prices see the museum's website.
- Open shows in English: 22 pln/person (about 52 SEK/person)
- Children under 3 years old: Free of charge
- Private workshop: 240-290 pln/group of up to 8 people (about 560 - 680 SEK/group).
Ditte says:
Poznan looks like a really nice and charming city. And this with trying to bake was really fun. And of course it is an advantage to live close to the city. Absolutely!
14 September 2020 - 7:51
Helena says:
Fantastic city, really! And the baking show was a fun way to familiarise yourself with both the baking and the history! ??
14 September 2020 - 9:00
BP says:
The houses in the first car are sooooo charming. They really have character, I would say. The buildings in the second picture are very reminiscent of Gdansk. I wonder if the houses are "original" or if they are replicas like in Gdansk.
Funny with the croissants. It doesn't surprise me at all that Peter wanted to be a baker:-)
14 September 2020 - 20:24
Helena says:
Very good question! It is a bit different in Poland. Sometimes the houses are original and sometimes they are replicas. Now I don't really remember how it was in Poznan. Have to read up on it! (And no, it did not surprise me either ;))
15 September 2020 - 18:30
Lena - good for the soul says:
What a beautiful city. Beautiful architecture! Funny with the croissants 🙂
Hug Lena
15 September 2020 - 5:53
Helena says:
Super nice city indeed! ??
15 September 2020 - 18:31
Lisa says:
When I was working, I had several colleagues who were from Poznan. One year a bus trip was organised there and I have fond memories of that trip. The food was good and in abundance, especially the sandwiches that were arranged before an excursion were outstanding. We visited a castle that I do not remember the name of but remember that it was very beautiful and lavish.
15 September 2020 - 9:53
Helena says:
Glad you have good memories! Poland has many beautiful cities and castles! And the food is usually both good and plentiful 😉.
15 September 2020 - 18:32
Across the board says:
But oh how fun to be involved in baking, and what a nice gem you have found - again. One gets really hungry for Poland, a country we have never actually visited so far.
16 September 2020 - 14:40