I tested supermarket croissants… winner was a surprisingly delicious pastry that cost just 17p

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?

Damien McFadden

Laura Stott gives supermarket croissants the taste test[/caption]

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)

Damien McFadden

These Lidl croissants were soft, squishy and rather bland[/caption]

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)

Damien McFadden

Tesco Nevill’s croissants were surprisingly delicious[/caption]

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)

Damien McFadden

Co-op’s croissants are as close to the real deal as you can get[/caption]

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)

Damien McFadden

Tesco’s all butter croissants tasted good warmed but the outside was a touch greasy[/caption]

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

The Bakery

Asda, £1.60 for 6 (26p each)

Damien McFadden

Asda’s croissants were buttery, fluffy and extremely enjoyable[/caption]

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)

Damien McFadden

These long life croissants are good to eat on the go[/caption]

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)

Damien McFadden

Morrisons’ all butter croissants were a little dry and uninspiring[/caption]

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)

Damien McFadden

These Aldi almond croissants are yummy, nutty and buttery[/caption]

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