Croissants
Croissants are light, flaky pastries and an icon of French baking. They are usually shaped like a crescent moon and made from a laminated yeasted dough, built from many layers of butter and dough, which gives them their airy, crisp texture. Baked properly, they have a golden, glossy crust on the outside while the inside stays soft and slightly brioche-like.
Ingredients
- 330 g T45 flour
- 6 g salt
- 45 g sugar
- 30 g brown butter
- 65 g water
- 100 g milk
- 14 g yeast
- 180 g butter for laminating
Method
- Combine the flour, salt, sugar, 30 g of butter, water, milk and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer.Knead for 4 minutes at medium speed.
- Then knead for 2 minutes at high speed.
- Shape the dough into a ball and let it rest for 30 minutes.
- Knock the dough back and shape it into a rough rectangle of about 24 x 12 cm.
- Wrap it in cling film and chill for at least 1 hour 30 minutes.
- Prepare the butter block: fold a 17 x 14 cm rectangle out of baking paper to act as a mould. Beat the butter inside the rectangle with a rolling pin so it takes that shape.
- Take the dough out and roll it out widthways so it can wrap around at least twice the butter block.
- Fold it over and seal both edges of the dough to close the rectangle.
- Even the dough out gently with the rolling pin.
- Do not hesitate to put the dough back in the fridge if your kitchen is warm.
- Roll the dough out into a long rectangle. The thickness must be even throughout.
- Give it a double turn.
- Wrap and chill for at least 1 hour 30 minutes.
- Roll the dough out into a long rectangle again. Watch the orientation of the dough: the folds must be perpendicular to the edge of your work surface.
- Give it a single turn.
- Wrap and chill for at least 1 hour 30 minutes.
- Roll out to a 30 x 28 cm rectangle, 5 mm thick.
- Trim the uneven edges.
- Cut out your dough triangles, cutting every 8 cm.
- Make a small cut in the middle of the base of each triangle and roll it up.
- Arrange the croissants staggered on the tray (if you can).
- Let them prove for 1 hour 30 minutes in a switched-off oven with a pan of hot water below the rack.
- Glaze the croissants with an egg yolk and a little milk.
- Preheat your oven to 200°C.
- Put the croissants in and, as soon as they are in the oven, lower the temperature to 170°C for 20 minutes.
- For two-tone croissants, follow the video below.
