What shape are the ends of a rolled croissant curved inward to form? Crescent. The name croissant comes from the French word for “crescent,” referring to the pastry’s traditional curved, horn-like silhouette. Bakers roll a thin triangle of laminated dough from its wide edge toward its point, then bend the finished roll so its two ends turn inward.
That shape is inherited from older crescent pastries such as the Austrian kipferl, although the modern croissant differs in dough and production. Croissant dough is yeast-leavened and laminated: butter is enclosed in dough, then the package is repeatedly rolled and folded to create many layers. During proofing and baking, those layers expand and separate into the familiar flaky structure.
Not every croissant is strongly curved. Some French-style croissants are nearly straight, and commercial shaping can vary by region, bakery, or butter content. The word “crescent” still describes the classic form. A crescent is also a geometric shape associated with the partially illuminated Moon, but the pastry’s name refers to visual resemblance rather than astronomy.