Classic Croissant
Prep Time:
40 min
Cook Time:
20 min
Rest Time:
4 hours
Ingredients
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup grandulated sugar
- 4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 1/4 cup unsalted butter cold
- 1 cup milk
- Egg wash
Instructions
- Place the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in a large bowl and whisk together until combined.
- Slice the butter into 1/8-inch thick slices and toss in the flour mixture to coat.
- Add the milk and stir together until a stiff dough forms.
- Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a long rectangle shape.
- Fold it into thirds (like a letter), turn 90 degrees, and repeat 4 to 6 more times, or until the dough has large streaks of butter in it but it is smooth and flat. (If at any point the butter starts to feel soft, chill it in the refrigerator or freezer until stiff.)
- Wrap tightly and chill for 1 more hour, then divide the dough in half and roll each portion out to a thickness of about 1/8-inch, in a long rectangle shape (approx. 10-inches wide by 22-inches long).
- Cut the dough into long, skinny triangles (about 5-inches at the wide end).
- Notch the wide end of each triangle with about a 1/2-inch cut, then roll from the wide end to the pointed end, tucking the point under the croissant.
- Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and allow to proof until doubled in size (1 to 2 hours).
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, and gently brush the croissants with egg wash.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until puffed, golden brown, and flaky.
General
So for this recipe, we are just slicing the cold butter into thin slivers and mixing it right in to the dough. After it’s been chilled and folded, you’ll still have all those beautifully flaky layers, but it really cuts down on the prep!
Keep in mind that the amount of milk listed is meant to be a guideline- you may need slightly more or less to get the right consistency. But it shouldn’t be a wet dough. It’s quite stiff. Take a look at the video in the recipe card below to see how the dough should look.
Fold everything together until the dough forms a ball. (It should pull cleanly away from the sides of the bowl.)
Chill this dough for 1 hour, and then you can start rolling and folding! You can see how this process looks when you watch the video in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How Many Times to Fold
You’re shooting for lots of thin, even layers. You should be able to see large streaks of butter running throughout, but the dough should lie flat and smooth, and not have a lot of rough bumps.
For me this is usually achieved after around 4 to 6 folds, depending on how thinly the butter was sliced at the beginning.
How to Shape Croissants
Divide the dough in half so it’s a little easier to work with, then roll it out to a big, long rectangle.
It’s not necessary to get too hung up on measurements, but ideally you’re looking for a little more than 10-inches wide, 22-inches long, and about 1/8-inch thick.
With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, trim the edges away and cut the dough into long, skinny triangles. Aim for a width of about 5 inches.
Next, cut a little notch in the wide end- this will help the croissant to bend more easily and keep it’s curved shape.
Starting at the wide end of a triangle, roll it away from you all the way to the point. Make sure the point is tucked underneath the croissant, and bend the croissant into a curved crescent shape. Then pinch the two ends together. (It will likely come apart during the proofing and baking process, but that’s ok!)
