Croissants

Croissants

Dough
2 1/2 tsp. instant dry yeast
or
1 ounce compressed fresh yeast
1 cup whole milk
1 tsp. sugar

4 cups bread flour (Use bread flour)
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 1/2 tsp. salt

1 T. melted butter

*plus additional 1 cup flour set to side more for dusting and rolling


Butter Block
3 sticks unsalted butter (Room Temperature)
2 T. Flour

 Warm milk gently in microwave or stove top.  It should be warm to touch.  Add yeast plus 1 tsp. sugar to milk and mix well.  Set on top of stove to keep warm.  In five minutes, yeast should be foaming.  It's been activated and ready to use. 

In a mixing bowl, add flour, sugar salt.  Mix in activated yeast mixture.  Add 1 T. melted butter.  Continue to mix dough with dough hook on stand mixer or by hand until dough is elastic and smooth. If dough needs a little more flour add 1 T. at a time until a ball is formed.   Put dough into a greased big bowl, place dough ball to rise.  I add oil on top of dough ball and cover with clear wrap and a tea towel on top.  It should double in size in about 1 1/2 hours.

In the meanwhile, when dough is rising make butter block.  Place butter and flour in a mixing bowl.  With paddle attachment combine two ingredients.  Cut two big pieces of clear wrap and form a square mat of clear wrap.  With spatula place butter/flour mix onto clear wrap.  Press down with spatula to form a square butter block about 1/4 inch high and 4x4 inch length and width.  Seal in clear wrap and place into fridge to get hard.

After dough has risen roll out dough into a 12x12 square, place flatten butter block in center.  Bring dough over the butter block and seal it in.  Now using rolling pin, pound gently on top of dough to flatten and incorporate butter into dough, be careful not to have butter pop out of dough.  At this time take rolling pin and roll into  a rectangle 14inches long 8 inches wide.   Always keeping a close eye that butter does not come out of dough.  After dough has reached the rectangle size of 14x8 fold dough into the three fold method.  Place on a plate or cutting board, cover with clear wray and place in fridge for 30 minutes.  Continue to roll dough back out into a 14x8 rectangle, do three fold and place in fridge again for 30 minutes.  Remove for the third time and continue the rolling and folding method. A total of 3 times.  When folds are completed, you can cut dough in half and roll back out into a 14x8 inch rectangle and cut edges evenly with pizza cutter as below. Do not throw out scraps of dough, you will use them as fillers for croissants.  See pic below:

 Cut dough into triangles, take one triangle and roll out gently with rolling pin and stretching dough slightly.  Add scrap piece to widest side of triangle and roll up like a croissant.  Place point side down on parchment.  Finish all croissants like this.  Spray a little non stick spray on top and gently place clear wrap on top.  Place in a warm spot, like a stove top.  When proofed, gently apply egg wash with a brush.  Bake in 375 degree oven for 12 to 14 minutes.  I usually turn my pan around once during the baking process.  Enjoy!