Description
Flaky, buttery croissants made from scratch. A rewarding baking project!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 200 ml (1 cups) water
- 40 g (1 oz) fresh yeast
- 150 g (5 oz) all-purpose flour
- The preferment from above
- 80 g (3 oz) white sugar
- 25 g (1 oz) salt
- 350 ml (1 1/2 cups) milk
- 70 ml (1/3 cups) water
- 600 g (1 lbs) bread flour
- 350 g (1 lbs) all-purpose flour
- 600 g (1 lbs) butter
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
- Making the Preferment:
- In a bowl, mix water, yeast, and flour until well combined. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature for 15 minutes.
- Preparing the Detrempe:
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, dissolve sugar and salt in the milk and water. Add the prepared preferment, bread flour, and all-purpose flour. Mix until combined. Using the mixer, knead on low for 2 minutes and then on medium for 3 minutes. If kneading by hand, do so for a maximum of 8 minutes. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise for 1 hour.
- Prepping for Beurrage:
- Transfer dough to a floured surface and shape into a 40 cm square. Sprinkle lightly with flour and roll into a 1 cm thick rectangle. Spread the softened butter over two-thirds of the dough, leaving one third unbuttered. Fold the unbuttered third over the middle section, and then fold the remaining buttered third on top. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1½ hours.
- Folding Process:
- After refrigeration, position the dough 90 degrees from its previous orientation. Roll gently into a 1 cm thick rectangle. Repeat the simple fold and refrigerate for 1 hour. Repeat the rolling and folding process two more times.
- Resting the Dough:
- After the final fold, wrap the dough and refrigerate overnight.
- Shaping Croissants:
- The next day, roll the dough on a floured surface into a 40×110 cm rectangle. If the dough resists, fold and refrigerate for 20 minutes before continuing. Cut the rectangle into 20 cm wide strips. Then, cut triangles from each strip. For each triangle, make a small cut at its base. Roll the two flaps outwards from the center, gently pulling the triangle tip to elongate it as you roll. Place formed croissants on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, ensuring enough space for rising.
- Final Rise and Baking:
- Mix eggs and milk for the egg wash. Brush a thin layer onto the croissants. Let them rise at room temperature (22-26°C) for about 2 hours. After proofing, gently brush croissants again with egg wash. Preheat oven to 374°F (190°C) with fan on. Bake croissants for 6 minutes. Reduce temperature to 338°F (170°C) and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until golden brown. Adjust based on your oven.
- Serve and Store:
Notes
- Ensure butter is very soft but not melted for optimal lamination during the beurrage process.
- For a richer flavor, use high-quality European butter.
- To freeze croissants, freeze them *before* baking; bake from frozen, adding 5-7 minutes to the baking time.
- Prep Time: 60 minutes
- Rise Time: 16 hours
- Cook Time: 16 minutes
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 croissant
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 15
- Sodium: 200
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Unsaturated Fat: 5
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 5
- Cholesterol: 50