Description
Classic Butter Croissants are a timeless French pastry known for their flaky, buttery layers and crisp golden crust. This detailed recipe guides you through the traditional lamination process, involving careful folding and chilling of dough with high-quality butter, resulting in light, airy croissants perfect for breakfast or a special treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 500g strong white bread flour
- 10g salt
- 50g caster sugar
- 10g instant yeast
- 250ml cool water
Butter Layer
- 250g chilled unsalted butter (at least 82% fat, high-quality recommended)
Glaze
- 1 medium egg (beaten for glazing)
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the strong white bread flour, salt, caster sugar, and instant yeast to evenly distribute the ingredients.
- Add Water and Knead: Pour in the cool water and mix on low speed for 2 minutes to bring the dough together, then increase to medium speed for 6 minutes until a stiff, elastic dough forms.
- First Rest: Shape the dough into a ball, dust lightly with flour, place in a plastic bag, and refrigerate for 1 hour to relax the gluten.
- Roll Dough: On a floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a rectangle approximately 60x20cm.
- Prepare Butter Block: Flatten the chilled unsalted butter into a 40x19cm rectangle using a rolling pin on parchment paper or silicone mat to maintain thickness and shape.
- Encase Butter: Place the butter block over the bottom two-thirds of the dough rectangle, then fold the top third of the dough over half of the butter, followed by folding the bottom third up, fully sealing the butter inside the dough.
- Chill Dough: Place the dough back in a plastic bag and refrigerate for 1 hour to firm up the butter layer.
- Laminate Dough: Roll the dough out again to 60x20cm, fold into thirds like a letter, rotate the dough 90 degrees, and repeat this rolling and folding two more times, chilling for 1 hour between each turn to develop layers.
- Final Rest: After the last fold, refrigerate the dough overnight (approximately 8 hours) to rest and allow slight rising of the yeast.
- Shape Croissants: Roll the dough to a 42x30cm rectangle about 7mm thick. Trim edges to make straight lines. Cut the dough into two long strips, then cut each strip into 12 triangles with a base of 12cm and height of 15cm.
- Roll Croissants: Gently stretch each triangle to elongate slightly, then roll tightly from the base to the tip, curving the ends slightly to form the classic croissant shape.
- Proof: Place the shaped croissants on lined baking trays. Cover lightly and proof at room temperature (18–24°C) for about 2 hours or until doubled in size.
- Preheat Oven: Heat the oven to 200°C (392°F) to ensure it is ready for baking.
- Glaze: Brush the surface of the proofed croissants with beaten egg to achieve a shiny, golden crust.
- Bake: Bake the croissants for 15–20 minutes until they are puffed, flaky, and golden brown. Allow to cool on wire racks before serving.
Notes
- Use high-quality unsalted butter with at least 82% fat for the best lamination and flavor.
- Keep ingredients and dough chilled between laminations to maintain distinct layers.
- If the dough becomes too warm or the butter starts melting, refrigerate it again before proceeding.
- Proofing times can vary depending on ambient temperature; ensure croissants have doubled in size before baking.
- Brush with egg wash just before baking for a glossy finish but avoid over-brushing to prevent sogginess.
- Store baked croissants in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days or freeze for longer storage.
