I love croissants. They are a rich pastry with buttery and flakey layers that are just so delicious!
Today I'm going to teach you how to make beautiful croissants from scratch. Though croissants may seem intimidating, they are quite easy if you break the steps down. Practice makes perfect! 😉
To achieve the flaky layers, we are making puff pastry. Once you make the puff pastry dough (which is only a few ingredients!), you will have to do a letter fold.
Here is a helpful diagram on how to do a letter fold.
Basically, roll your dough into a rectangle, then place your slab of butter in the center. Fold one side (so it covers up the butter), and fold the other side, so it's on top of the first side. Repeat five times while chilling each time. Then you'll do one long chill overnight while you sleep. In the morning, it will be time to assemble your croissants!
When you shape croissants, I've included two ways to do it. One is with chocolate and the other just a classic croissant.
For the one with chocolate, you'll cut rectangles out of your puff pastry sheet. Place a square of chocolate and roll up the pastry!
For the classic croissant variation, instead of cutting rectangles, you'll cut triangles. For this, you can just roll down the pastry dough, and you should have your shape ready!
Now all you have to do is let the croissants proof, brush on the egg wash and bake! I recommend looking at the diagram I made so you can have a visual. 😊
If your butter is too cold, I found that it likes to break up and form clumps while you are doing the letter fold. Just leave it on the counter for 30 minutes or so, and then continue on with the recipe.
See those layers?! 😲 Feel free to experiment with different fillings such as Nutella or even pesto and tomatoes! Though croissants take a lot of time and patience, the reward is worth every minute! Stay tuned for my 365th day tomorrow!
|Level: 👩🏽🍳👩🏽🍳|Time: 15 hours|Serves: 12|
RECIPE:
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups milk, warm
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon salt
1 1/2 cups butter, cold
1 egg
STEPS:
In a large bowl, mix the milk, sugar, and yeast. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes until it foams up. Add the flour and salt. Knead into a ball and cover with a dishtowel. Proof for 2 hours.
35 minutes before your dough is down rising, start this step! In a stand mixer, beat the butter until it's fluffy. Pat down the butter on a piece of parchment paper so it's an 8" square. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Take out your dough and roll it into a 16x10" rectangle. Place your chilled butter in the center. Fold one side (so it covers up the butter), and fold the other side, so it's on top of the first side. Roll the dough into a 16x10" rectangle again. Repeat the process five times while chilling in parchment paper each time. When you are at your last fold, don't roll into a large rectangle. Wrap it in parchment paper and chill overnight while you sleep. If you cut into the middle of the dough, you should see many different layers. Look at the photo below as a guide.
Divide your dough in half. Roll the section in an 8x12" rectangle. Cut 3 rectangles out of the main rectangle. Then cut each small rectangle in half, so you have triangles. Take one triangle and roll it up so you have your croissant shape. Repeat with the other triangles as well as the other half of the dough. Look at the photo below as a guide.
Place your croissants into a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Make sure to leave a few inches apart from each other. Cover with a dishtowel and proof for 1 hour.
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F and in a small bowl, mix the egg with a teaspoon of water. With a pastry brush, brush the egg wash over each croissant. Bake for 15 minutes and then lower the temperature to 375 degrees F. Bake for another 5-7 minutes so you have a golden brown croissant.
Enjoy!
- The Bored Baker 👩🏽🍳