Description
Mastering this homemade flaky croissants recipe requires patience and precision from French baking traditions. Delicate layers of buttery dough create a golden, crisp pastry that rewards careful technique with remarkable flavor and texture.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 large egg
- 3 ½ cups (440 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons (15 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups (340 g or 3 sticks) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
- ½ cup (120 ml) water
- 2 ¼ teaspoons (7 g or 1 packet) instant yeast
- ⅓ cup (67 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons (12 g) salt
Instructions
- Preparation: Remove milk and butter from refrigerator. Cube butter into small pieces.
- Mixing: In a stand mixer, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Activate yeast by sprinkling directly into flour mixture or hydrating in warm water until foamy.
- Dough Development: Knead ingredients until a smooth, elastic dough forms. Adjust consistency by adding flour or water as needed. Shape into a ball and let rest in a warm spot, covered with plastic wrap.
- Butter Preparation: Cream butter with flour until smooth and uniform. Shape into a neat square using plastic wrap and refrigerate.
- Lamination Process: Roll out proofed dough on a floured surface. Place chilled butter in the center, folding dough corners to completely encase butter. Chill the dough packet.
- Folding Technique: Roll dough into a rectangular shape, perform a tri-fold like a letter. Refrigerate. Repeat this folding process two more times, ensuring precise layering between each fold.
- Resting Phase: Allow laminated dough to rest overnight in the refrigerator.
- Shaping: Remove dough, trim edges cleanly. Cut into triangular shapes. Roll each triangle from the wide base to the narrow point, creating classic croissant shape.
- Final Proofing: Arrange croissants on a baking sheet. Let rise in a warm environment until puffy.
- Baking: Preheat oven to the specified temperature. Brush croissants with beaten egg. Bake, rotating midway, until achieving golden-brown perfection. Cool on a wire rack before serving.
Notes
- Yeast Activation Tip: Ensure water temperature is between 100-110°F for optimal yeast performance, preventing potential dormancy or premature death.
- Butter Technique: Keep butter cold and malleable but not hard; ideal consistency resembles soft play-dough for seamless lamination.
- Dough Resting Strategy: Allow extended refrigeration periods between folding to develop complex flavor and enhance structural integrity of layers.
- Rolling Precision: Use consistent, gentle pressure when rolling to maintain even butter distribution and create delicate, crisp layers.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 267
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 91 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 36 mg