Croissants

Makes 8 croissants

Equipment:

stand mixer
rolling pin
pastry brush

Tips:

• BE PATIENT! Performing the turns and rolling the dough out can take a lot of time. If the dough gives any resistance let it rest in the fridge.

• Crank up the AC. If your workspace is cold then the butter be at less risk of mixing into the dough.

Dough Ingredients:

570g bread flour
170g water (room temperature)
150g whole milk
60g sugar
50g soft unsalted butter
12g salt
11g instant dry yeast

Additional Ingredients:

310g butter (European style, slightly softened, ~10 min out of the fridge)
flour for dusting
1 egg
1 tbsp whole milk

Process:

1. Measure out a 7x10 rectangle in the center of a sheet of parchment paper and crease edges.

2. Cut the 310g of butter into rectangles to cover the 7x10 rectangle. Fold paper over to completely cover butter.

3. Roll over with a rolling pin to merge all sections of butter into one complete block. Smooth out so the entire block is one even thickness. Carefully place in fridge.

4. Mix all dough ingredients in a stand mixer with the dough hook for 5 minutes on medium speed until smooth.

5. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and flatten slightly into a disk. Place in fridge and let rest overnight.

6. Remove dough and butter from fridge. Lightly dust work surface with flour and roll out dough to a 14x10 rectangle.

7. Before unwrapping, roll over butter to slightly soften it. The butter should feel malleable and similar to the dough’s consistency.

8. Unwrap butter and flip onto the center of the dough, with the short ends of the butter block flush with the long ends of the dough. Fold the short ends of the dough over the butter so it is completely covered and seal them together.

9. Lightly press the rolling pin up and down the dough to lock in the butter.

10. With the dough set vertically, roll it out until it is approximately 30 inches long.

11. Trim off the tips of each short end and dust off any flour from the top of the dough. Fold over 1/3 of the dough from the end closest to you and fold the other end to meet that end. Dust off any flour from the top and fold the dough down the center bringing the end closest to you to the top. Lightly press up and down the dough with the rolling pin to seal the layers together. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for one hour.

12. Rotating the dough 90 degrees from how it was folded the first time, roll the dough out until it is approximately 30 inches long, flouring as needed. Trim off the ends and dust off ay flour. Fold 1/3 of the dough from the end closest to you and then fold the other end over the entire dough creating three new layers. Wrap in plastic and rest in fridge for one hour.

13. Roll the dough out into a 24 x 12 rectangle. Trim off the ends to create straight edges.

14. Mark every 4 inches from one of the long ends. Mark every 4 inches from the opposite side, starting 2 inches in. Cut triangles from each mark.

15. Roll up each rectangle tightly and place shaped croissants spaced out across 2 baking sheets.

16. Whisk egg with milk and brush carefully over croissants.

17. Place croissants in a cool oven with the light on and let rise 2-3 hours until puffed up and layers are splitting.

18. Take croissants out oven oven and preheat to 400 F.

19. Give a second coat of egg wash and bake for 18-22 minutes, rotating halfway.

20. (Optional) Prepare a simple syrup by heating 1/4 cup of sugar with 1/4 cup of water and heating until sugar is dissolved. Brush over croissants when they come out of the open.

21. Cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before serving.