Description
French croissants embody buttery, delicate perfection from classic Parisian bakeries. Layers of rich dough fold carefully, creating golden crescents that melt gently on eager palates with crisp, flaky textures you will savor.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cups (500 g / 17.6 oz) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (240 ml / 8 fl oz) warm milk
- 1 cup (225 g / 8 oz) unsalted butter, cold
- 2 tbsps unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup (50 g / 1.8 oz) granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp instant yeast
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp milk
Instructions
- Dough Preparation: Blend flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in a large mixing bowl, ensuring even distribution of dry ingredients.
- Liquid Integration: Mix warm milk and softened butter into the dry ingredients, creating a unified, smooth dough through thorough yet gentle mixing.
- Kneading Process: Work the dough vigorously until it develops a silky, elastic texture with consistent smoothness, indicating proper gluten development.
- First Fermentation: Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm space until it doubles in volume, creating a light and airy foundation.
- Butter Block Creation: Flatten chilled butter between parchment paper, forming a precise square that will be integral to the lamination technique.
- Lamination Technique: Carefully encase the butter block within a rolled dough rectangle, folding edges to seal and create intricate, delicate layers.
- Layering Process: Execute multiple rolling and folding cycles, interspersed with chilling periods to maintain distinct butter and dough layers, which will ultimately generate the signature flaky texture.
- Shaping Croissants: Roll the refined dough into triangular shapes, carefully transforming each piece from broad base to pointed tip, then curve into classic crescent forms with tight, uniform configuration.
- Proofing Stage: Allow shaped croissants to expand in a warm environment, developing a light, airy internal structure and preparing for baking.
- Final Preparation: Brush croissants with egg wash to create a golden, lustrous exterior, then bake in a preheated oven until richly bronzed with crisp, delicate edges.
- Serving: Rest freshly baked croissants briefly, allowing them to stabilize and fully develop their complex textural characteristics before serving.
Notes
- Master Temperature Control: Keep ingredients and workspace around 65-70°F to prevent butter from melting during lamination, ensuring perfect flaky layers.
- Handle Dough Gently: Minimize excessive handling to maintain delicate butter layers, which create signature croissant texture and prevent tough pastry.
- Patience with Proofing: Allow croissants to rise in a draft-free, warm environment until they’re visibly puffy and soft, typically 1-2 hours.
- Precision in Rolling: Use consistent, gentle pressure when rolling to maintain even butter distribution and prevent butter from breaking through dough layers.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 17
- Calories: 232
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 37 mg