Q&A with Edan Leshnick

November 5, 2025

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Executive Pastry Chef at Breads Bakery

by Edan Leshnick and David Frey

Sponsored by

In the heart of New York City’s vibrant food scene, Executive Pastry Chef Edan Leshnick, a chef whose work bridges classic European techniques with modern flavors, is making beautiful works of art. Here, Edan shares insights from his baking journey, discusses the inspiration behind his citrus and Marcona almond croissant, and reflects on the role quality ingredients—like those from King Arthur Baking Company—play in his creations.

Getting to Know Edan

Q: Let’s start at the beginning: What first drew you into the world of pastry?

I [grew up] in a house where food, and the act of making it, was given so much value. It stuck with me. Now that I make pastry for a living, I see a very clear connection between what I do now and the emotion and generosity of how I used to enjoy food as a kid. That joy and wonder is still there. I can’t pinpoint an actual time in my life where I decided I wanted to be a pastry chef, although I do remember a recipe book that had a very old-fashioned bread recipe in it that I tried to make. It came out pretty bad, but at that time I remember this “Aha!” moment and I knew that was it and that I was hooked forever. It was all very romantic!

Q: Before landing at Breads Bakery, what were some of the key steps on your pastry journey?

I originally started my career baking bread at Bien Cuit Bakery for a very short time. I remember the difficulty of getting into that industry with zero skills, which prompted me to study Pastry Arts in school. After that, and a quick stage in Paris and [time spent working at] other cafés and pastry shops, I returned to New York City, and have been with Breads Bakery for the last 12 years.

Q: What was it about Breads Bakery that made you feel it was the right place for your craft?

Breads Bakery allowed me such freedom to explore and make mistakes. Looking back, I realize it was mainly the freedom to make mistakes that guided my path to this day.

Citrus and Marcona Almond Croissant

Q: Tell us about your citrus and Marcona almond croissant. Where did the idea come from?

I originally created the citrus and Marcona almond croissant for a competition, but I have always been drawn to pairing viennoiserie and other enriched doughs with fresher, lighter components. I find the contrast between a well-crafted laminated dough and an acidic and tart element appealing, so I set on creating a medley of my favorite citrus mix (yuzu, mandarin, grapefruit, orange, and finger limes). With all of my creations, I tend to choose flavors and textures that can often enhance one another. In the case of the Citrus and Marcona Croissant, it felt pretty natural to pair the richness of the croissant dough with the acidity and tartness of the citrus, which tends to cut through the buttery notes very well in my opinion. I also think that the crisp and flakey cross lamination of the croissant pairs really well with the more creamy notes of the Marcona praline and the yuzu mandarin compote, adding another layer of contrast.

I specifically chose Marcona almonds because of their texture along with their unique geographical growing zone, which lends to such a unique flavor. These are also roasted in olive oil, which enhances the overall experience of this pastry. It really doesn’t get much better than citrus, roasted almonds, olive oil and a buttery croissant!

Q: What’s your process for developing a pastry like this?

I can pinpoint pretty quickly the flavors I want to incorporate, along with textures, which are equally important to me. After the initial idea of flavor pairings and textures, I’ll usually get to work on the best way to “plate” all of those components. My “plate” is usually enriched or laminated doughs, so the challenge becomes how to create shapes and textures out of laminated doughs that will support and highlight my main ingredients. Then begins a process — that can sometimes take quite a bit of time — when I fine tune the shaping, techniques, flavors and textures so they can highlight all my ideas with the minimum amount of embellishments or unnecessary components. It’s always my goal to take away components rather than add, as the message in my opinion is conveyed more powerfully by limiting the amount of “noise” coming from too many components.

Q: Texture is such a big part of a laminated pastries. What’s your approach to getting that perfect bite?

I start with a very flaky laminated dough, then I cross-laminate that dough in order to accentuate the crispness of it. In the case of the citrus and Marcona almond croissant, that dough is rolled around a Marcona almond sponge in order to introduce an element with a softer texture. For a creamy element, I pipe in a rich Marcona almond praline and the yuzu and mandarin compote. I finish the croissant with fresh citrus segments (grapefruit, mandarin, orange and finger limes), which introduces yet another texture.

Q: Citrus can be bold. How do you strike that balance between brightness and sweetness?

For the record, bold is definitely what I was trying to achieve! But I do agree that it needed a bit more richness to balance the brightness of the citrus, but not necessarily more sweetness; in my opinion a lot of pastries are too sweet. In this croissant, the richness of the Marcona almond praline, which I make with a very low amount of panela sugar, balances the brightness and acidity of the fruit.

On Ingredients & Craft

Q: When you’re working on something delicate like a citrus and Marcona croissant, what do you look for in your ingredients?

I try to analyze every component and ingredient I add as best as I can and really dive into its origin, its molecular properties and functions. I do that so that I can then apply them in a way that might be surprising sometimes but one which I always have control over.

Q: You’ve used King Arthur flours in your baking. What keeps them in your repertoire? And which flours do you prefer for what?

I do use both Sir Galahad and Organic High-Gluten flour for some of our croissant recipes. I have explored countless milling companies both domestic and internationally but find that the consistency and balance of King Arthur flours really lends itself to a very balanced dough. I also think that fermentation with these flours really produced some of my best croissants yet. I found that King Arthur flours tend to be very consistent when it comes to being able to control the fermentation process and this exact consistency is what gives me the freedom to create and experiment with the endless variables of my recipes.

Q: Are there certain flours or grains you’ve been experimenting with lately that excite you?

I’ve been running some extensive tests with King Arthur’s organic line and I have been really impressed with flavor, first and foremost. We tend to look at flours in such a technical way that I sometimes feel we lose sight of the fact that flavor is as important as any technical functionality of the grains we use. And so, I’ve been focusing mainly on that balance.

Pastry Culture & Trends

Q: What pastry trends or movements are you most excited about right now?

There’s definitely a movement in the pastry world towards reducing overall sweetness in general. I have been using fibers like inulin and oligofructose to replace sugars for a few years now and it is by far one of the greatest assets we now have in the pastry world in order to be able to highlight ingredients as close as possible to their natural state of sweetness and texture. I think this is very exciting.

Q: How do you see New York’s pastry scene evolving in the next few years?

My hope is that once modern pastry and viennoiserie has matured a bit more, trends and one-hit wonders make way for a more sustainable approach, which will push us more towards the use of plant-based ingredients while still respecting quality dairy, butter and grains.

Q: Is there a pastry or technique you think deserves a comeback?

I do believe in the evolution of pastry and so the classic pastries or techniques should be reinvented. But I think it’s important to take care so that in reinventing them we’re not drastically changing their essence, but rather enhancing them and pushing them even further.

Closing

Q: When you think about your career so far, what excites you most about the next chapter?

What excites me most is the fact that I still feel like I haven’t even touched the tip of the iceberg yet when it comes to growing and learning. I have so much more I want to express using this medium of pastry and food. Hopefully I’ll soon have exciting news about some personal next steps.

From Edan Leshnick’s early days in pastry kitchens to his leadership role at Breads Bakery, his journey has been defined by a dedication to craft, a respect for ingredients, and an infectious enthusiasm for the future of pastry. Whether developing a bright, citrus-forward croissant or championing emerging trends, his work continues to inspire fellow professionals.

Citrus & Marcona Croissant

By Edan Leshnick, Executive Pastry Chef, Breads Bakery

Croissant Dough

259 g water
411 g whole milk
207 g croissant dough scraps
133 g granulated sugar
84 g dark honey
27 g salt
344 g King Arthur “Sir Galahad” Flour
1030 g King Arthur “Special Patent” Flour
68 g fresh yeast
165 g unsalted butter, in cubes
805 g Beurrage (butter for lamination)

Combine all of the ingredients except the butter.
Mix on low speed for 6–7 minutes.
Add the butter, then mix on medium speed for another 6–7 minutes.
Mix until full development is reached. The final dough temperature should be 73–75°F (23–24°C).
Round the dough into a boule.
Allow the dough to rest, covered, for 20 minutes.
Sheet the dough to a thickness of 0.31 – .035 inches (8–9 mm).
Blast chill until firm.
Cover the dough and transfer it to the refrigerator (36°-39°F (2-4°C) to ferment for 12-14 hours.
After fermentation, laminate the dough using the beurrage. Perform a double fold followed by a single fold.
Chill in a blast chiller until the dough is firm prior to sheeting out.

Marcona Almond Praline

250 g Marcona almonds
30 g water
60 g panela sugar

Roast the almonds for 25 minutes at 280°F (140°C) with the vent open.
Make a wet caramel with the water and panela sugar, cooking them to 240°F (115°C).
Add the warm almonds to the caramel and stir to crystallize them.
Spread the caramel-coated almonds onto a sheet tray lined with a silicone mat.
Bake for 10 minutes at 280°F (140°C) with the vent open.
Allow the nuts to cool.
Grind the nuts in a Robot Coupe until smooth.
Reserve 200 grams of praliné for the sponge. You will use the rest in the Assembly step.

Marcona Almond Olive Oil Sponge

126 g water at 77°F (25°C)
28 g egg white powder
35 g panela sugar
35 g granulated sugar
180 g olive oil
200 g Marcona Almond Praliné
130 g egg whites at 85°F (33°C)
110 g egg yolks at 85°F (33°C)
200 g almond flour
70 g cornstarch
2.8 g baking powder
1 g fine salt

Make a meringue from the water, egg white powder and both sugars.
Combine the olive oil, praliné, egg whites and egg yolks.
Whisk together the almond flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt.
Fold the combined dry ingredients into the praliné mixture.
Immediately fold the meringue into the batter base.
Portion 1015 grams of the sponge batter into a frame, and mist with water.
Bake for 15 minutes at 300°F (150°C) with the vent closed.
Cut out circles 1.57 x 0.6 inches (40 mm x 15 mm) thick.
Freeze the circles until firm.

Mandarin Yuzu Compote

120 g granulated sugar
148 g inulin
3 g locust bean gum
18 g pectin NH
410 g mandarin purée, 100%
291 g yuzu purée, 100%
10 g mandarin zest

Combine the sugar, inulin, locust bean gum and pectin NH.
Heat the purées with zest to 105°F (40°C).
Stream in the sugar mixture while whisking and cook to 180°F (82°C).
Transfer to a shallow container and refrigerate.

Citrus Syrup

120 g mandarin puree 100%
80 g yuzu puree 100%
10 g mandarin zest
150 g granulated sugar

Bring all ingredients to a boil.
Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.

Assemby

Fresh citrus segments: pink grapefruit, Cara Cara oranges, mandarin oranges
Finger lime “caviar”
Marcona almonds, thinly sliced
Red micro amaranth leaves

Sheet 2/3 of the laminated croissant dough to a thickness of .23 inches (6 mm).
Cut the sheeted dough in half and stack the halves on top of each other.
Sheet the halves at .47 inches (12 mm) to “lock” them in place.
Sheet the remaining 1/3 of dough to .11 inches (3 mm).
Cut .12 -.16-inch (3 – 4 mm) strips from this dough.
Line up the strips on top of the remaining piece of dough so that the dough layers in the strips are visible. This procedure creates the cross-lamination effect.
Chill the cross-laminated dough until firm.
Sheet the cross-laminated dough down to a thickness of .11 inches (2.9 mm), taking care to relax the dough well between passes.
Cut out strips of dough using a rectangular stencil measuring 6 inches x 1.25 inches (15.24 cm x 3.2 cm).
Chill the dough strips once more until firm.
Wrap the dough strips around the rectangles of the Marcona Sponge and place them inside a greased 3.5″ ring.
Proof for about 2 hours at 85°F (29°C) with 80-85% humidity.
Bake the croissants at 260°F (180°C) for 9 minutes with a closed vent, then bake for an additional 7-8 minutes with the vent open.
Brush the croissants with the Citrus Syrup immediately after removing them from the oven.
Once the croissants are fully cooled, pipe the Marcona Almond Praliné on top of the sponge, followed by the Mandarin and Yuzu Compote.
Decorate with the fresh citrus segments and finger lime caviar, along with thinly sliced Marcona almonds nestled in between the segments.
Top with the fresh red micro amaranth leaves.

Photos by Michele “Mike” Illuzzi

(This article appeared in the Fall 2025 issue of Pastry Arts Magazine)