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    Where Is My Spoon > Recipes > Breakfast

    Breakfast Crescent Rolls (Romanian cornuri simple)

    Published by: Adina June 6, 2020 ยท Last modified: June 11, 2024 8 Comments
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    romanian cornuri simple on a serving tray

    Last Updated on 11/06/2024 by Adina

    These typical Romanian breakfast crescent rolls or cornuri simple are the fluffiest, best crescent rolls I've ever tasted!

    Romanian Crescent Rolls โ€“ Cornuri simple

    The breakfast crescent rolls or cornuri simple are something I grew up with, something you can buy in every Romanian bakery, something cheap, filling, and satisfying. I used to buy myself one on my way to school in the morning sometimes, I can still remember the taste and texture.

    These crescent rolls are not exactly like those I used to buy in Romania, but like 100 times better. The bought ones tasted good, but I have to say they were quite flat and chewy unless you had them directly out of the oven. These ones are incredibly puffed up and fluffy and so fine and delicious you will not be able to stop after having just one.

    Jump to recipe
    • Ingredients
    • How to form them?
    • How to serve?
    • Romanian breakfast
    • More breakfast bread or rolls with yeast
    • Recipe
    • Breakfast Crescent Rolls (Romanian cornuri simple)
    Romanian Crescent Rolls โ€“ Cornuri simple

    Ingredients

    • The regular ingredients needed to bake are flour, water, and yeast.
    • A good thing about the recipe: there is no need for sugar and butter. The breakfast rolls are unsweetened, you will only need 1 tablespoon sugar, which will not do much for the taste, it is there to help the yeast develop its power.
    • And you will only need a little oil for the dough.

    Yeast:

    • I used active dry yeast to make the rolls. It needs to be proofed before using it.
    • Fresh yeast, about 25 g/ 0.9 oz would be great as well. Fresh yeast needs to be proofed in the lukewarm water as well.
    • If using instant dry yeast, just mix it with the dry ingredients before adding the wet ones.

    How to form them?

    • After the dough has risen nicely, you can form the crescent rolls.
    • Knead the dough very shortly on a lightly oiled surface.
    • Divide the dough into 10 pieces and form 10 balls.
    • Flatten one ball with your palm and brush it well with some vegetable oil.
    • Roll the piece of dough into a sausage and knot the sausage.
    • Set aside and continue with the rest of the balls.
    forming yeast dough into crescent rolls
    stick and roll of yeast dough
    • Once all the dough pieces are ready, take the first knot you've made and flatten it with the rolling pin, giving it the form of pita bread, so broader at one end and narrower at the other end.
    • Start rolling the dough into a sausage again, starting at the broader end.
    • Give the sausage the form of a crescent and place it on the baking tray with the seam facing down. Continue with the remaining knots.
    • This double rolling is what gives cornuri their specific texture once they are baked, you will be able to pull strands of the soft inner part of the rolls.
    piece of flattened yeast dough on a black working surface
    unbaked crescent rolls on a baking tray lined with baking paper

    How to serve?

    • Cornuri simple can be served warm or cool.
    • Fresh out of the oven is always best, but the rolls can be reheated.
    • Brush them with some water and place them in the oven for about 5 minutes at about 150 degrees Celsius/ 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
    • Cornuri can be part of any breakfast or they can be served as a snack.
    • As they are not sweet, they can be served with any kind of topping, sweet or savory.
    • And they can be served plain (or lightly smeared with butter), they are so good you will not need much to go with them.
    Romanian Crescent Rolls โ€“ Cornuri simple

    Romanian breakfast

    As part of a typical Romanian breakfast, consider serving them with:

    • Ham or salami.
    • Cheese, either something like feta or kashkaval โ€“ a sort of yellow cheese popular in Eastern Europe (but any yellow cheese is fine).
    • Zacusca or vinete are both amazing spreads made with eggplants. Zacusca (roasted eggplants and peppers) is normally preserved, while vinete (eggplant salad) is made fresh.
    • Olives, black and with their pits still inside.
    • Lots of chopped fresh vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and whole spring onions.
    • Having something sweet for breakfast is not very popular in Romania, yet if you would like that, these cornuri go perfectly well with any kind of jam or jelly. Try the Rhubarb Strawberry Jam or the Lemon Jelly, for instance.

    More breakfast bread or rolls with yeast

    • overnight yeast rolls in a small bread basket.
      Overnight Yeast Rolls
    • romanian crescent rolls, one split in the middle on a small plate.
      Breakfast Crescent Rolls (Romanian cornuri simple)
    • small and crusty loaf of flaxseed bread.
      Flaxseed Bread Recipe
    • hand holding an ikea cinnamon roll.
      Kanelbullar - Ikea Cinnamon Roll Recipe

    Do you like this recipe?

    Please leave a good rating in the recipe card below. Stay in touch through social media: Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram. Donโ€™t forget to tag #whereismyspoon when you try a recipe!

    Recipe

    romanian crescent rolls, one split in the middle on a small plate.

    Breakfast Crescent Rolls (Romanian cornuri simple)

    These typical Romanian breakfast crescent rolls or cornuri simple are the fluffiest, best crescent rolls I've ever tasted!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Share GrowSaved! Rate
    Course: Breakfast
    Cuisine: Romanian
    Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 55 minutes minutes
    Servings: 10 rolls
    Calories: 267kcal
    Author: Adina
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    Ingredients 

    • 2 teaspoons active dry yeast (Note 2)
    • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
    • 300 ml lukewarm water 10 fl.oz/ 1 ยผ cup
    • 500 g all-purpose flour 1.1 lb / 4 cups + 2 tablespoons
    • 4 tablespoons vegetable oil + 1-2 tablespoons for brushing
    • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
    • 1 egg yolk

    Instructions

    Dough:

    • Proof yeast: Sprinkle the active dry yeast in a bowl and mix it with the sugar and about 3 tablespoons of the already measured lukewarm water. Mix well and leave for about 5 minutes until foamy.
    • Dough: Add the flour, the remaining water, 4 tablespoons of oil, and salt. Mix well and knead until the dough is elastic and doesn't stick too much to your hands anymore. The easiest way to do this is a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. You can add 1 to 2 tablespoons of flour to the dough if it is still too sticky, but no more; the dough should be relatively soft.
    • Let dough rise: Brush a clean bowl with a bit of oil and place the ball of dough inside. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen cloth and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes or until nicely risen. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius/ 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

    Form:

    • Roll: Brush the working surface lightly with oil. Divide the dough into 10 pieces and form 10 balls. Flatten one ball with your palm and brush it with vegetable oil. Roll the piece of dough into a sausage and knot the sausage. Put aside and continue with the rest of the balls.
    • Shape dough: Take the first knot you've made and flatten it with the rolling pin, giving it the form of pita bread, so broader at one end and narrower at the other end. Start rolling the dough into a sausage again, starting at the wider end. Give the sausage the form of a crescent and place it on the baking tray with the seam facing down. Continue with the remaining knots.

    Bake:

    • Egg wash: Mix 1 teaspoon water with the egg yolk. Brush the crescent rolls with them and set them aside for 10 minutes.
    • Bake: Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until nicely golden. Leave on the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer them to wire racks to cool. Cornuri can be served warm or cool.
    • To refresh them the following day: brush them lightly with water and place them in the preheated oven at about 150 degrees Celsius/ 300 degrees Fahrenheit for about 5 minutes.

    Notes

    1. I recommend using a kitchen scale when baking.
    2. You can also use 30 g/ 1 oz fresh yeast, which needs to be proofed just like the active dry yeast.
      Or you can use instant dry yeast, which will be mixed with the flour, salt, and sugar before adding the water.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1crescent roll | Calories: 267kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 215mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @adinabeck or tag #WhereIsMySpoon!

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    Comments

    1. Belinda says

      December 04, 2020 at 6:58 pm

      These came out very good, and very easy to make too! One thing is that mine were a little stiff, I mean I couldn't pull strands of the soft inner part. I think I see now that the first flattening of the dough ball is really flattening into a large rectangle, then rolled up. I instead just pressed down on the ball a little so it was a circle, and then I rolled it into a rope. I will have to try again and see the difference it makes.

      Reply
      • Adina says

        December 05, 2020 at 8:44 am

        I am glad you liked them. The more you make a recipe, the better it will be, I think.

        Reply
    2. Kim | Low Carb Maven says

      February 08, 2017 at 6:24 pm

      Lovely styling, lovely photography, and a lovely recipe! I like the changes in weather, but we don't get many dreary days here in Southern California. Crescent rolls are very popular in the U.S., but most of us buy a pre-made dough that comes in a can. They were a favorite of mine growing up to have with our holiday dinners, but who knows what chemicals and junk were in that factory made dough? I love this beautiful recipe made from wholesome ingredients.

      Reply
    3. Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop says

      February 04, 2017 at 4:36 am

      I am glad the days are getting longer! We are still in the midst of winter though with lots of snow. I love these rolls! They look light and fluffy and delicious!

      Reply
    4. grace says

      February 03, 2017 at 4:49 pm

      these look MAGICAL! what a treat, i'm smitten and i haven't even heard of this style of crescent roll until just this minute!

      Reply
    5. Chris Scheuer says

      February 02, 2017 at 11:58 pm

      These crescent rolls look wonderful. I know the aroma as they bake is fantastic!

      Reply
    6. Balvinder says

      February 02, 2017 at 10:49 pm

      Recipe sounds heavenly and gorgeous. Perfect to impress someone.

      Reply
    7. Angie@Angie's Recipes says

      February 02, 2017 at 8:12 pm

      These crescent rolls look soft and they make a perfect breakfast in bed ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
    5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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