Flaky French Croissants (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Base Dough
01 -
1/3 cup white sugar
02 -
2 teaspoons sea salt
03 -
2 1/4 teaspoons fast-acting yeast (1 packet)
04 -
3 1/2 cups plain flour
05 -
1 cup full-fat milk
06 -
1/2 cup water, at room temperature
→ Butter Mix
07 -
3 sticks of unsalted butter (cold but pliable)
08 -
2 tablespoons plain flour
→ Egg Wash
09 -
1 beaten egg for brushing
# Instructions:
01 -
Combine salt, sugar, and flour in the mixing bowl of your stand mixer. Stir in yeast (if using dry active, activate it first in warm water). Slowly add the water and milk, mix until you get a soft dough that's not sticky—knead for 8-10 minutes.
02 -
Form dough into a smooth ball, grease a bowl lightly, place the dough inside, cover with a towel, and let it relax in a cozy spot for 30 minutes.
03 -
Using a mixer, beat the butter and flour gently until smooth. Shape into a square (6 inches) with plastic wrap and keep chilled until ready to use.
04 -
Take your dough, roll it out into a square around 10 inches wide. Place the chilled butter square in the middle tilted like a diamond, wrap the dough around it like you're enveloping it, and seal all the edges tightly.
05 -
Turn the dough into a long rectangle, roughly 16x8 inches. Fold it into three layers like you're folding a letter. Chill for an hour. Repeat this fold-and-chill process two more times, leaving it in the fridge overnight after the last fold.
06 -
Roll the chilled dough flat, slice it into triangular shapes, and roll each triangle into a crescent. Leave out to rise, covered, until they've doubled in size and are visibly puffier—this usually takes 60-90 minutes.
07 -
Brush the tops with egg and bake them at 375°F for about 20 minutes. Once golden and flaky, move them to a cooling rack immediately.
# Notes:
01 -
For the best taste, enjoy them straight from the oven, but they'll stay fresh for 2 days at room temp.
02 -
Freeze before the last rise and keep for up to 3 months.
03 -
Leftover dough? Make mini creations like cinnamon sticks or monkey bread.