I think making croissants is one of the most time consuming things to do. It is like combining two most difficult things to do: handling yeast and laminating with butter. Like making bread and puff pastry at the same time, so it is kind of hard. The yeast takes warmth and laminating depends on the environment being cold. So I think, the most important things about making croissants is ensuring the environment is optimal.
Croissants typically take a few days to make, because they are raised in the fridge overnight, and it is a long process to get the yeast to activate in that environment. The amount of yeast is also typically lower.
Compared to the puff pastry, there are fewer folds. I think there is no need to create too many folds, the optimal is 3 times of 4 layers. That’s 64 layers. I think it is quite enough.
I think the last proof is important, making sure the croissant is soft and fluffy on the inside.
Croissants in 2.5 hours
Ingredients
Yeast Developer
- 8 g Instant yeast
- 75 g Water
- 1 tbsp Baguette flour from 200g of flour
- 2 tbsp Sugar
- 1 tbsp Milk powder
Dough
- 200 g Baguette Flour
- 1/2 egg
- 2/3 tsp salt
- 30 g butter
Laminating Butter
- 120 g cultured butter or dry butter about 84% fat
Instructions
Make the Dough
- Stir all the ingredients except the yeast in the dough developer together.
- Sprinkle the yeast on top of the mixture and then proof in the warm oven.
- Mix half the flour with the yeast mixture and the egg and stir until sticky.
- Add the rest of the flour, butter and salt to the mixture then knead until gluten starts to form.
- Proof for 20 minutes. (1st proof)
Butter Block
- Use a parchment paper to share the butter into a square: 15cm x 15 cm.R
- Leave the butter in the fridge.
Dough Prep
- After the 1st proof , spread the dough thin (about 20 cm x 20 cm) using your hands and then cover it in cling film and freeze until cold.
First fold (always brush away flour on surface as you fold)
- Take the dough out of the freezer and spread it to a large enough size to cover the butter block.
- Pinch the sides together. Then roll it to 40cm long and 25 cm wide.
- Fold the pastry as in the diagram shown.
- Freeze for another 5 minutes.
- Roll lengthwise to 40cm again, and repeat the fold.
- Roll and fold one more time. This is optional.
- Return to the freezer for another 15 minutes.
Shaping the Croissants
- Roll the dough out to 32 cm x 22 cm
- Trim off the edges to get 30 x 20 cm
- Cut lengthwize into 3 rectangles of 10cm x 20 cm each. Then cut each piece diagonally to 3 right angle triangles.
- Slit 2cm up the base of the triangle and then roll loosely up.
- Cover and let the croissants raise until almost double before baking.
- Egg wash: brush only the surface, not on the folds.
- Bake at 220C for 5 minutes, then lower the temperature to 190C to bake a further 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and leave the croissants on the baking tray to cool and enjoy!
