Croissants (French Butter Croissants)
In short: Flaky, honeycombed croissants made with a yeasted dough layered with butter, folded three times and baked until deep golden. It takes about 1 h 50 min in total and makes 12 servings.
- Prep
- 1 h 30 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Resting
- 12 h
- Total
- 1 h 50 min
- Servings
- 12
- Difficulty
- Challenging
- Calories
- 370 kcal
A proper French croissant is crisp and shattering outside and soft and honeycombed inside, with a clear butter flavor. The dough is laminated: a block of cold butter is folded into yeasted dough in three turns, creating dozens of thin layers. It is a project that takes most of a day and a night with long rests, but the steps themselves are simple. Eat the croissants warm on the day they are baked, with jam or just butter.
Instructions
- Mix the flour, sugar, salt and yeast in a large bowl. Add the milk, water and soft butter and knead for 5 minutes until smooth. Shape into a rectangle, wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- Pound the cold butter between two sheets of baking paper into a flat 18 cm (7 in) square. Chill it for 30 minutes so it is cold but still pliable.
- Roll the dough into a 36 x 18 cm (14 x 7 in) rectangle. Place the butter on one half, fold the other half over it and pinch the edges shut.
- Roll the package into a long rectangle about 60 x 20 cm (24 x 8 in), brushing off excess flour. Fold it in thirds like a letter, wrap and chill for 30 minutes. This is the first turn.
- Repeat the roll, fold and chill twice more, giving the dough a quarter turn each time, for three turns in all. Chill for 1 hour after the last turn.
- Roll the dough into a 60 x 40 cm (24 x 16 in) rectangle about 4 mm thick. Trim the edges, cut in half lengthwise, then cut each strip into 6 triangles with a 10 cm (4 in) base.
- Cut a small notch in the middle of each base. Roll each triangle up from the base to the tip, then curve the ends into a crescent. Place on lined baking trays with the tip tucked underneath.
- Cover loosely and proof at a cool room temperature (about 24°C / 75°F) for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until puffy and jiggly. A warm room melts the butter, so keep it cool.
- Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Brush the croissants with egg wash.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then lower the heat to 180°C (350°F) and bake for 10 minutes more until deep golden. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes.
Tips
- Keep the butter and dough at a similar, cool temperature. If the butter cracks into pieces or oozes out, chill the dough for 20 minutes before continuing.
- For pain au chocolat, cut the dough into 8 x 12 cm rectangles, lay two chocolate sticks across one short end and roll up.
Questions and answers
Why did my croissants leak butter in the oven?
They were probably under-proofed, or the butter was too warm during rolling. Proof until they jiggle when the tray is nudged, and chill the dough if the butter feels soft.
Can I freeze croissant dough?
Yes. Freeze shaped, unproofed croissants on a tray, then bag them for up to a month. Proof them overnight in the fridge or for 3 hours at room temperature, then bake.
What flour is best for croissants?
Bread flour with 12 to 13 percent protein gives enough structure for the layers. All-purpose flour works but makes a softer, less open crumb.
How long does it take to make Croissants (French Butter Croissants)?
About 1 h 50 min in total: 1 h 30 min of preparation and 20 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Croissants (French Butter Croissants)?
About 370 kcal per serving, with 6 g of protein, 36 g of carbohydrates and 22 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 370 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 6 g |
| Carbohydrates | 36 g |
| Fat | 22 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 7 g |
| Sodium | 330 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
