How to Make Croissants

Today we conquer our fears and make homemade croissants! If you are going to run screaming, I understand. I don't use sugar: croissants aren't easy. Croissants need time, patience, and a lot of rolling. However, just because this recipe has advanced does not mean that you have to become a skilled baker to try it. You can really handle this recipe. ♥

Let me hold your hand through the whole process. I share step-by-step photography, complete video tutorials, lots of tricks based on what I learned, and croissant recipes. I started working on croissants earlier this year. I learned a few recipes, tested them, changed what I thought was necessary, and played with this mixture for weeks. Croissants are golden brown, extra crispy, crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and unusually warm from the oven. A bite of this soft French cake will immediately take you to an old French bakery. I am sure of this homemade croissant recipe and I am sure you bake them.

Good news! You need zero luxury equipment and zero special ingredients. If you are looking for a weekend project, know how to read instructions, and crave fresh homemade cookies (aren't we all?), Then hold on. You will be rewarded with the BEST treat ever !!!

Process
make easy dough from butter, flour, sugar, salt, yeast, and milk
Roll the dough into a large rectangle
make a layer of butter (I have an easy trick for this !!!)
Cover the butter layer in the dough
roll the dough into another large rectangle, then fold it back into one
remove the dough again, fold it back into one
remove the dough once more, fold it back into one
croissant shape
burn
There is a break between most steps, which means most of the time is hands-free. To help us develop all layers, croissant dough needs to rest often in the refrigerator. That's why I call making croissants a project. Do it for several days with a long break between steps.
All that rolling and folding back together? That is called LAMINATING.

What is Dough Lamination?
Laminating dough is the technique of folding butter right into a dough many times, which creates many layers of butter and dough. When the dough is laminated bakes, the butter melts and produces steam. This vapor lifts the layers apart, leaving us with dozens of spacious, buttery layers.

We will laminate the dough 3 times, which will make 81 layers of our croissants. Yes, 81! Let me paint that picture for you.

• Start with the dough, butter layer, dough = 3 layers
• Roll it out and fold it in three = 9 layers
• Roll and fold it into three parts = 27 layers
• Scroll it one last time and fold it in three = 81 layers
• So we only laminate the dough 3 times, but that gives us 81 layers. When a croissant is rolled and formed, it is an 81 layer dough that is rolled many times. So when you bite into a croissant, you really bite into hundreds of layers.

Isn't that VERY COOL ???

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons; 60 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 4 cup s (500g) of all-purpose flour, plus rolling / forming
• 1/4 cup (50g) white sugar
• 2 teaspoons of salt
• 1 tablespoon of active or instant dry yeast
• 1 and 1/2 cup (360ml) cold pure milk

Butter layer

• 1 and 1/2 cup (3 sticks; 345 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour (16g)

Wash the eggs

• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons (30ml) whole milk

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Initial note: Watch the video above and use a step-by-step photo before you begin. Read the recipe before starting. Make room in the fridge for a baking sheet. In step 6 and again in step 13, you will need space for 2 sheets.
2. Make the dough: Cut the butter into four pieces 1 tablespoon and place it in an electric holder mixer bowl that is equipped with a dough hook (or you can use a handheld mixer or without a mixer, but the stand mixer is ideal). Add flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Turn on the mixer at low-medium speed to gently combine the ingredients for 1 minute. With the mixer running, pour gently into the milk. After all the milk is added, turn the mixer to medium-high speed and shake the mixture for at least 5 full minutes. (If you don't have a mixer, knead by hand for 5 minutes.) The dough will soften. Most will pull out from the side of the bowl and if you stab it with your finger, it will bounce back. If after 5 minutes the dough is too sticky, continue the mixer until it pulls from the side of the bowl.
3. Remove the mixture from the bowl and, with your hands in the form of flour, work it into a ball. Place the dough on a floured silicone baking sheet, parchment paper with a little flour, or a pan that has a little flour. (I highly recommend the silicone baking mat because you can roll the dough in the next step directly above and it won't slide on the table.) Gently flatten the dough, as I did in the video above, and cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Place the whole pan in the refrigerator and let the closed dough rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
4. Form of the dough: Remove the dough from the refrigerator. I like to keep the dough on a silicone pan when I roll it in this step because the mat is non-sticky and this is a practical guide for precise measurements. Begin leveling the dough with your hands. You roll it into a rectangle at this step, so shaping it by hand first helps the stretchy mixture. Roll it into a 14 × 10 inch rectangle. The dough isn't too cold after only 30 minutes in the fridge, so it will feel more like soft play. Right with measurements. The dough will want to be oval, but keep working the edges with your hands and rolling pin until you have the correct square size.
5. The long break: Place the rolled dough back on the baking sheet (this is why I prefer silicone mats or parchments because you can easily move the dough). Cover the rolled dough with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, place the whole pan in the refrigerator and let the closed dough rest in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight. (Up to 24 hours doesn't matter.)
6. A layer of butter (start 35 minutes before the next step so that the butter can cool for 30 minutes): In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer equipped with a paddle or shaker, shake the butter and flour together until smooth and combined. Transfer the mixture to a silicone baking pan or baking paper pan. (A silicone mat is preferred because you can easily peel the butter in the next step.) Using a small spoon or spatula, smooth it into 7x10 inch rectangles. As precise as you can with this measurement. Then place the entire baking sheet in the refrigerator and chill the butter layer for about 30 minutes. (There's no need to cover it for only 30 minutes.) You want a layer of butter that is hard, but still supple. If it's too hard, leave it on the table for a few minutes to soften gently. The stronger the butter layer, the harder it is to laminate the dough in the next step.
7. Dough Lamination: In the next step, you will roll the dough into a large rectangle. Do this on the lighter counter rather than rolling it on a silicone baking sheet. The counter is usually a little cooler (great for keeping the dough cool) and the silicone mat is smaller than the size you need. Remove the dough and butter layer from the refrigerator. Place a layer of butter in the center of the dough and fold each end of the mixture over it. If the butter isn't the right 7 × 10-inch rectangle, use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to even the edges. Cover the tip of the dough on the best layer of butter with your fingers. In the light flour counter, roll the dough into a 10 × 20 inch rectangle. It's best to rotate back and forth with the shorter end of the dough facing you, as I did in the video above. Use your fingers if necessary. The dough is very cold, so it will require a lot of arm muscles to roll it. Once again, the dough will be oval in shape, but keep using it by hand and grind until you have the correct square size. Fold the dough lengthwise into one third as if you were folding a letter. This is the first turn.
8. If the dough is now to heat to use, an area the folded dough on a baking sheet, cowl with plastic or aluminum foil wrap, and kick back for 30 minutes before the second round. I generally don't want to. Round 2: Turn the dough so that the short end is facing you. Roll the dough once again into a 10 × 20 inch rectangle, then fold the dough lengthwise into one third as if you were folding a letter. The dough must be cooled between the 2nd and 3rd turns because it has been widely used at this time. Place the folded dough on a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and chill for 30 minutes before the 3rd round.
9. Third round: Roll the dough once again into a 10 × 20 inch rectangle. Fold the dough lengthwise into one third as if you were folding a letter.
10.  The long break: Place the folded dough on a layered baking sheet, cover with plastic or aluminum foil wrap, and chill for 4 hours or overnight. (Up to 24 hours doesn't matter.)
11. At the end of the next step, you will need 2 baking sheets coated with silicone baking paper or baking paper. The dough is currently on a baking sheet lined in the fridge, so you have prepared 1!
12. Croissant shape: Remove the dough from the refrigerator. In the light flour counter, roll the dough into an 8 × 20-inch rectangle. Use your fingers if necessary. Again, the dough is very cold, so it will require a lot of arm muscles to roll it. The dough will want to be oval, but keep working with your hands and rolling pin until you have the correct square size. Using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife, cut the dough in half vertically. Each thin rectangle will have a width of 4 inches. Then cut 3 horizontal slices horizontally, producing 8 4 × 5 inch rectangles. See the photos and videos above for visuals. Cut each rectangle diagonally to make 2 triangles. You have 16 triangles now. Work with one triangle at a time. Using your fingers or a rolling pin, stretch the length of the triangle to about 8 inches. Do this gently because you don't want to even the layers. Cut a small gap at the wide end of the triangle, then roll it tightly to form a crescent shape to make sure the end is underneath. Bend the edges slightly toward each other. Repeat with the remaining batter, place the croissants in the form of 2 sheets of a baking pan, 8 sheets. Cover it loosely with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and let it rest at room temperature (don't get warmer! I suggest only keeping it on the table) for 1 hour, then place it in the refrigerator to rest for 1 hour or up to 3 hours. I prefer cold-shaped croissants into the oven. When you prick the dough with your finger, it will slowly rise again. That means they are ready to bake. put croissants shaped on 2 trays, 8 per sheet. Cover it loosely with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and let it rest at room temperature (don't get warmer! I suggest only keeping it on the table) for 1 hour, then place it in the refrigerator to rest for 1 hour or up to 3 hours. I prefer cold-shaped croissants into the oven. When you prick the dough with your finger, it will slowly rise again. That means they are ready to bake. put croissants shaped on 2 trays, 8 per sheet. Cover it loosely with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and let it rest at room temperature (don't get warmer! I suggest only keeping it on the table) for 1 hour, then place it in the refrigerator to rest for 1 hour or up to 3 hours. I prefer cold-shaped croissants into the oven. When you prick the dough with your finger, it will slowly rise again. That means they are ready to bake. will slowly rise again. That means they are ready to bake. will slowly rise again. That means they are ready to bake.
13. Preheat the oven to 204 C.
14. Wash eggs: Beat the egg cleaning ingredients together. Remove the croissants from the refrigerator. Brush each lightly by washing eggs.
15. Bake croissants: Bake until the croissants are golden brown, about 20 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through baking. If the croissant shows signs of darkening too quickly, reduce the oven to 375 ° F (190 ° C).
16. Remove the croissants from the oven and place them on a wire rack to cool for a few minutes before serving. They will slightly deflate when cold.
17. Croissants taste the best on the same day they are baked. Cover the remaining croissants and store them at room temperature for several days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. You can also freeze for up to 3 months, then thaw the counter or spend the night in the fridge. Warm-up as you wish.

This recipe is inspired by sallysbakingaddiction

Note

Make In Ahead Instructions: Croissants are ideal for beginning beforehand. The dough can relax for four hours or overnight in step 5 and again in step 11. You also can freeze the dough after the third turn within the lamination process (after step 10). Instead of a four-hour break inside the refrigerator in step 11, wrap the dough in plastic or aluminum foil, placed it in a zip-closed bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Melt it in the fridge and continue with step 12.

Special Tools: KitchenAid Stand Mixer | Rolling Pin | Pizza Cutters | Pastry Brush | Silpat Baking Mat | Baking sheet

Yeast: I use and recommend Red Star Platinum, instant yeast. My Reference Baking with a Yeast Guide to Answers to Common Yeast FAQs.

Keep Dough Cold: Make sure the dough is ALWAYS cold. If it is too hot, stop what you are doing and put the dough back in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Floured Surface: Flour the light surface of your work, your hands, the dough, and the rolling pin when you work.

Air Bubbles: Are there air bubbles in the dough when you roll? It is okay. Pop them with your fingers or toothpicks, then mild flour where you release air bubbles. 

Croissants for Brunch: I recommend starting the recipe the day before in the afternoon. Complete steps 1-10, then let the laminated mixture rest for a long time in the refrigerator overnight (step 11). Begin steps 13 2-3 hours before lunch.

Share this post