The classic French pastry known as a croissant is popular throughout. These flaky, buttery pastries are great for breakfast, lunch, or even as a snack. Making croissants at home might sound challenging, but with enough patience and practice, it’s really not that tough. In this post, we’ll show you how to create croissants from scratch in just a few easy steps.
Ingredients:
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk, warmed
- 2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cold
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions:
- Combine the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in a large mixing bowl. After combining, thoroughly combine.
- Add the warmed milk to the bowl and whisk once the dough begins to come together. After around 5 minutes of kneading, the dough ought to be elastic and smooth.
- Wrap the dough in plastic after placing it in a bowl that has been lightly greased. Let the dough rest for about an hour, or until it has doubled in size, in a warm place.
- While the dough is rising, prepare the butter. On a sheet of parchment paper, place the thinly cut pieces of cooled butter in a square shape. Put another piece of parchment paper on top after rolling the butter into a thin layer. The butter needs to be chilled until it solidifies.
- Roll the dough into a 1/4-inch-thick rectangle on a surface that has been lightly floured after it has risen.
- Put the chilled butter in the center of the dough. Make sure to seal the edges when you fold the dough over the butter. The dough needs to be rerolled into a rectangle and then letter-folded into thirds. This is referred described as a “turn.”
- Turn the dough 90 degrees, then repeat step 6 with the new position. By now, two “turns” should have been completed.
- There should be two additional iterations of Step 7 for a total of four “turns.” The dough should be wrapped in plastic and put in the fridge to cool for at least an hour or overnight.
- Once the dough has chilled, it should be rolled out into a rectangle that is about 1/4 inch thick. Cut the dough into triangles.
- Each triangle should be rolled from the broad to the narrow end, tucking the pointed end under. If the croissants are placed on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, they should rise for around an hour.
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Beaten egg and water are combined to create an egg wash. The croissants need to be egg washed.
- For 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown, bake the croissants.
- Let the croissants cool on a wire rack before serving.
- Enjoy some handmade croissants with a cup of coffee or tea. They are perfect for breakfast, brunch, or any other time you desire a delicious pastry. With a little practice, you can rapidly become an expert at baking immaculate croissants.
Tips You'll Love :
Sure, here are some tips that can help you make the perfect croissants:
- When making croissants, it’s crucial to use cold butter because it contributes to the pastry’s flaky layers. Before using, make sure the butter is chilled in the refrigerator.
- Keep the dough cold at all times in order to produce the flaky layers that are characteristic of croissants. In order to prevent the dough from being too heated, this calls for chilling it in the refrigerator in between turns.
- Be patient: Making croissants can take a while, but it’s vital to take your time and avoid rushing. For the greatest results, take your time and meticulously follow the recipe.
- Use a ruler to ensure the dough is the right thickness before rolling it out. The croissants will bake more uniformly and have the proper texture as a result of this.
- Don’t overfill the croissants: Take care not to overfill the croissants when rolling them. The croissants may leak and lose their shape if they have too much filling.
- Let the croissants cool: Before serving, the croissants must cool on a wire rack. They will retain their shape and avoid getting wet on the bottoms thanks to this.
- Try out various fillings: You may stuff croissants with a variety of things, including chocolate, almond paste, ham and cheese. In order to find your favourite filling combination, don’t be scared to experiment with various fillings.
Nutrition:
Usually, one croissant (weighing about 57g) contains:
- Calories: 231
- Fat: 12.4g
- Saturated Fat: 7.7g
- Carbohydrates: 24.3g
- Sugar: 3g
- Protein: 4.3g
- Sodium: 237mg
