My Story in Recipes
  • Recipe Index
  • Blog Posts
  • My Story
  • Connect

Croissants

4/20/2012

1 Comment

 
Picture
​I recommend getting a cup of coffee and a snack before you sit down to read this post - it's lengthy and it's guaranteed to make you hungry.

Okay, now that you're ready, let me tell you about my first experience with homemade croissants.  I first came across a recipe for croissants in the January issue of Cook's Illustrated magazine.  I've never actually attempted homemade croissants because quite honestly - I was intimidated by this delicate pastry.  After reading through 3 full pages of instructions, I came to the conclusion that mastering croissants was not going to be easy.  It took a couple of months for me to work up the courage to conquer this recipe but I dreamed of the satisfaction that it would bring if I could pull it off.
Picture
​Before I even started my homemade croissants, I made a trip to the grocery store to buy European-style butter and high protein flour.  The European butter has a higher fat content and less water and helps to create flakier layers.  King Arthur flour has a high protein content and produces more gluten necessary for croissants.   
Picture
Picture
​The recipe warns that it takes a minimum of 10 hours to prepare the croissants (not including my trip to the store) so I set aside plenty of time.  It was a lengthy process but it was fun, and at times even stress revealing. 
Picture
Croissants
3 Tablespoons butter
24 Tablespoons European-style butter
1 3/4 cups whole milk
4 teaspoons yeast
4 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
salt
1 large egg
1 teaspoon cold water 
​Melt 3 Tablespoons of butter in a saucepan.  Remove from heat and stir in milk.  Whisk in yeast.
​Transfer yeast to the bowl of a standing mixer.  Add flour, sugar and 2 teaspoons salt.  Using a dough hook, knead on low speed 2-3 minutes.  Increase speed to medium and knead 1 minute longer.
Picture
Picture
Remove bowl from mixer, cover with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.  Transfer dough to silpat lined baking sheet.  Shape into a 10x17 inch rectangle.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
​While the dough chills, fold a 24 inch length of parchment paper in half lengthwise to create a 12 inch rectangle.  Trust me - you will need a ruler for this recipe.  Fold over 3 open sides of the rectangle to form an 8 inch square.
Picture
Picture
​Place 24 Tablespoons of butter directly on the counter and beat it with a rolling pin for 60 seconds.  
​Fold butter on itself and beat into a 6 inch square.   
Picture
Picture
​Unfold parchment envelope and transfer butter to the center of the parchment.
​Refold parchment at creases and gently roll until butter fills parchment square.  Refrigerate at least 45 minutes.  Transfer dough to the freezer for 30 minutes.
Picture
Picture
​Transfer dough to a lightly floured counter and roll into a 17 by 8 inch rectangle.  Unwrap butter and place in the center of dough. 
​Fold sides of dough over butter so they meet in the middle.  Press seam together.  Press ends together with rolling pin.
Picture
Picture
​Roll out lengthwise into a 24 by 8 inch rectangle.
​Starting at the bottom of dough, fold into thirds like a letter.
Picture
Picture
​Turn dough 90 degrees and repeat rolling and folding.
​Place dough on a baking sheet, wrap in plastic wrap and return to freezer for 30 minutes.  Transfer dough to counter and  roll into a 24 by 8 inch rectangle.  Fold into thirds.
Picture
Picture
​Place dough on baking sheet, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours. Transfer dough to freezer for 30 minutes.  Transfer dough to counter and roll into an 18 by 16 inch rectangle.
Picture
Picture
​Fold dough in half lengthwise.
​Using a ruler, mark dough at 3 inch intervals along the folded edge.  (You will have 5 marks.)
Picture
Picture
Starting at the lower edge of dough, measure in 1 1/2 inches and then begin marking on the dough.  Cut dough from bottom marks to top marks forming triangles.  You will end up with 12 triangles.
​Unfold each triangle to form a diamond shape.
Picture
Picture
​Cut into triangles. (You will have 22 triangles.)
​Cut a 1/2" slit in the center of the short side of the triangle.
Picture
Picture
Holding triangle by the 2 corners on either side of the slit, start to roll up the croissants.  Gently tuck the end of the croissant underneath and bring the two ends together.

Place croissants on a baking sheet at least 2 1/2 inches apart.  Lightly warp with plastic wrap and let rise 2 1/2 - 3 hours.  You can also refrigerate formed croissants for up to 18 hours or freeze them for up to 2 months.  (Refrigerated croissants take an extra 30 minutes to rise and frozen croissants take an extra 1-2 hours to rise.)  I put mine in the freezer because I didn't want to bake my croissants at 10:00 at night.  The next morning I set out 4 croissants to rise.  (I only planned to make 4 croissants because I wanted to save the others for a special occasion.)
Picture
Picture
Heat oven to 425.  Whisk together egg, water and a pinch of salt.  Brush croissants with egg wash and place in oven.

Reduce heat to 400 and bake 12 minutes.  Rotate baking sheet and bake another 8-12 minutes.  
Picture
Picture
​After 10 hours of croissant preparation, to say that my expectations of these pastries was high, is an understatement.  As I pulled the tray out of the oven, the overwhelming smell of buttery dough was captivating.  I quickly slid them to a cooling rack so I could take a quick picture of the warm pastries.
Picture
There was no need to add butter to these croissants.  They were a perfect balance of rich and buttery goodness with light, flaky, delicate layers of dough.  This was by far the best croissant that I have ever had - it was CRAZY good!  It took less than 2 minutes to eat the entire croissant and then the picture taking resumed. 

I was so glad that I had only defrosted 4 croissants because I don't think I could have stopped myself from eating a whole lot more of these.  I managed to find the will power to save the other 3 croissants for my family.  (Mostly because I had already promised them a sampling.)
Picture
I have 18 croissants left in my freezer to save for another day.  I'm not quite sure what occasion I will deem special enough for these labor intensive pastries but you can be sure that it will be soon.  These would be a perfect compliment to any brunch menu.

Hungry yet?  Don't say that I didn't warn you.  I was so proud of my very first batch of homemade croissants.  I think I found a new favorite recipe to add to my collection.

Ciao!
Click here for a printable version of this recipe
1 Comment
codybecth link
6/1/2022 11:52:26 am

Great Article! Thank you for sharing this is a very informative post, and looking forward to the latest one

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Like my page on facebook.

    Follow me on Instagram


    Follow Me on Pinterest

    Categories

    All
    30 Minute Meals
    30-minute-meals
    Big Green Egg Recipes
    Chocolate
    Christmas Classics
    Comfort Foods
    Crock Pot Meals
    Fall Favorites
    Healthy-choices
    Healthy-choices
    My Favorites
    Springtime Treats
    St Patrick's Day Goodies
    Summertime Specialties
    Thanksgiving Classics
    Valentine Treats
    Vegetarian
    Winter Warm Ups

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011

  • Recipe Index
  • Blog Posts
  • My Story
  • Connect