Homemade Croissants

Ingredients

For the dough

• 2 and 3/4 cups (350g) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
• 2 and 1/4 teaspoons (7g) active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (240ml) warm milk
• 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened

For the butter layer

• 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, chilled

For the egg wash

• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon milk

 

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.

2. Gradually add the warm milk to the dry ingredients, mixing until a dough forms.

3. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, until it becomes smooth and elastic.

4. Shape the dough into a ball, place it back into the bowl, cover with a kitchen towel, and let it rest for about 10 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, prepare the butter layer. Place the chilled butter between two sheets of parchment paper and use a rolling pin to flatten it into a rectangle that's about 1/2 inch thick.

6. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle, approximately 1/4 inch thick.

7. Place the butter layer on the bottom half of the dough rectangle. Fold the top half of the dough over the butter, enclosing it completely.

8. Roll the dough out again into a large rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick. Fold the rectangle into thirds, like a letter.

9. Rotate the dough 90 degrees, so the folded edge is on the left. Roll it out again into a large rectangle and fold it into thirds.

10. Repeat the rolling and folding process one more time. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

11. After chilling, roll out the dough into a large rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick. Trim the edges to make them straight and cut the rectangle into triangles.

12. Take one triangle and stretch it slightly. Starting from the wide end, roll it up tightly towards the tip. Repeat with the remaining triangles.

13. Place the rolled croissants on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving some space between each.

14. Cover the croissants with a kitchen towel and let them rise in a warm place for about 1 to 2 hours, until they double in size.

15. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and milk to make the egg wash.

16. Brush the croissants with the egg wash, being careful not to deflate them.

17. Bake the croissants for about 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.

18. Remove the croissants from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack before serving.

 

Enjoy your homemade croissants fresh from the oven!

Note: This recipe requires some patience and skill with rolling and folding the dough. It may take a few attempts to perfect the technique, but the results are worth it.

You might like to add a bit of variety to your croissants. Here are a few croissant recipe ideas.