Croissant
A classic French buttery, flaky laminated pastry made over two days with a rich butter block folded into the dough to create hundreds of delicate layers.
Ingredients
- 500 gall-purpose or bread flour
- 55 gsugar
- 11 gsalt
- 11 ginstant yeast
- 140 mllukewarm whole milk
- 140 mllukewarm water
- 280 gcold high-quality unsalted butter, at least 82% fat
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbspmilk
Method
- Day 1 — Dough: Combine flour, sugar, salt and yeast in a stand mixer. Mix in lukewarm milk and water and knead 6-8 minutes until smooth. Refrigerate overnight.
- Day 1 — Butter block: Pound cold butter between parchment into a 20x20 cm square. Refrigerate overnight.
- Day 2 — First turn: Roll dough into a 40x20 cm rectangle. Place butter block on one half, fold dough over and seal. Roll out to 60x20 cm, perform a letter fold. Chill 30-40 minutes.
- Repeat the rolling and folding two more times (3 turns total), chilling 30-40 minutes between each. After the final turn, refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
- Roll chilled dough into a 20x45 cm rectangle. Cut into tall triangles with a 10-12 cm base. Stretch each triangle and roll tightly from base to tip. Curve ends into a crescent shape.
- Proof at warm room temperature for 2-3 hours until nearly doubled. Brush with egg wash and bake at 200°C for 15-20 minutes until deep golden brown.
FAQ
The butter melted into the dough during lamination — either the dough or the butter was too warm. Work quickly, keep everything cold, and chill the dough in the refrigerator for 20–30 minutes between each fold.
Use European-style butter with at least 82–84% fat content. Higher fat means less water, which means crisper, more distinct layers. Margarine produces a completely different texture.
Yes — freeze them after shaping, before proofing. Transfer from freezer to refrigerator overnight, then allow to proof at room temperature for 3–4 hours before baking. Do not thaw at room temperature directly.
The dough was too cold (taken straight from the fridge) or the yeast was dead. Proof at 24–26°C — warmer than that and the butter melts and leaks out before baking.
The oven temperature was too high: the outside browns before the interior cooks through. Bake at 185–190°C for 18–20 minutes until deep golden brown. If they color too fast, lower the temperature slightly.
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Comments (4)
J'ai essayé 3 fois avant de réussir le feuilletage. La clé c'est que le beurre et la pâte soient exactement à la meme temperature. Si le beurre est trop froid il casse, trop mou il fond dans la pâte
Класс!
Вы правда думаете, что круассан можно приготовить за вечер? Тесто должно отлежать в холоде минимум 12 часов между раскатками. Если масло проступает наружу — вы его перегрели, выбрасывайте и начинайте заново. Рецепт тут, кстати, правильный — но терпения у большинства не хватит.
I rotate the pan 180° halfway through baking this croissant. Most ovens have hot spots, and the all-purpose colors unevenly without the rotation. It takes 3 seconds and prevents a burnt side.