Is there anything better than waking up to the aroma of golden buttery croissants fresh out of the oven? This simple thought makes my mouth water.
Baking croissants is somewhat easy, but I have to admit the process is very time-consuming… but oh so rewarding! It needs to be planned ahead since the dough has to rest for a long time.
Also, by baking croissants at home, you can decide on the amount of filling you put and get creative: you can make sweet croissants, savoury croissants, … Personally, I’m usually very conservative and bake regular, chocolate or almond croissants, but I sometimes bake cheese-filled croissants or even zaatar (a middle-eastern spice mix of thyme, sumac and sesame seeds) croissants. To each his own!
The best part is that all this work can be enjoyed again afterwards if you decide to freeze some of the croissants. They keep well, and then you can satisfy a craving much faster than when you have to start the whole baking from scratch!
Recipe
Ingredients
(yield: about 14 croissants)
1 kg white flour (ubut: unbleached, untreated)
500 ml warm water
30 gr milk powder
20 gr salt
30 gr yeast
125 gr sugar
200 gr butter (room temperature)
Turns
450 gr butter (room temperature, flattened to form a rectangle the size of the paper wrapping)
Whip water and yeast together. Add milk powder to the mixture.
Add flour. Mix either by hand or with a stand mixer using the dough hook attachment.
Add sugar and salt.
Add butter, little at a time.
Knead for 5 to 6 minutes (stand mixer) or 8 minutes (by hand), until butter cannot be distinguished.
Let sit in the fridge for 60 minutes, covered with a plastic wrap.
Dust your work surface with flour. Roll the dough (using a rolling pin). Make a
26 in x 16 in rectangle.
26 in x 16 in rectangle.
Spread the butter (turns) on 2/3 or ¾ of the surface of the dough. Fold in 3 lengthwise. Close the sides. Gently roll the dough (the butter must not burst out!).
Fold in 3, butter on butter.
You must make 3 turns in total. The dough must rest for 60 minutes in the fridge between each turn.
Then, let the dough rest overnight in the fridge, either cut or not.
Roll the dough, make a 30 in x 18 in rectangle.
Cut in half lengthwise.
For croissants, cut 80-90g triangles.
Make a small incision on the shorter side, then roll while stretching the dough towards the outside.
For chocolatines (or pains au chocolat), cut 7 in long rectangles.
Brush egg wash on the upper and the lower part of the rectangle, put three chocolate sticks, fold dough over the first stick then roll the rest of the rectangle, placing the « seam » at the bottom when you’re finished rolling.
Brush the croissants/chocolatines with egg wash (3 eggs, water, salt), let proof. Add some egg wash, bake in the oven for about 20 minutes at 400oC.
If the croissant was frozen, proof either for 4 hours on the counter, overnight in the fridge, or one hour in a preheated oven, under a wet cloth.
