Croissant
Ingredients
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- 20 ounces all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter – softened, cut into pieces (for dough)
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk – (for dough)
- 10 ounces unsalted butter – cold (for lamination)
- 1/4 cups all-purpose flour – for dusting
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp whole milk – for egg wash
Instructions
1. Make the dough: In a stand mixer bowl, whisk together 20 ounces all-purpose flour, 0.25 cups granulated sugar, and 2 tsp kosher salt. Stir in 2.25 tsp instant yeast. Add 1.25 cups whole milk and 3 tbsp softened unsalted butter; mix on low until shaggy, 2–3 minutes, then knead on medium-low until smooth and slightly tacky, 3–4 minutes.
2. Chill the dough: Pat the dough into a 1-inch-thick rectangle, wrap tightly, and refrigerate 8–12 hours (overnight) to relax gluten and develop flavor.
3. Prepare the butter block: On a sheet of parchment, pound and shape 10 ounces cold unsalted butter into a 6×8-inch slab about 0.5 inch thick; chill until firm but pliable, 20–30 minutes (it should bend without cracking).
4. Enclose butter and make the first turn: Lightly dust the work surface with the 0.25 cups flour for dusting (use only this flour as needed for all rolling). Roll the cold dough to a 10×16-inch rectangle, 0.5 inch thick, 2–3 minutes. Place the butter centered; fold the dough like a letter to encase, pinching seams. Roll to an 8×24-inch strip, 0.25–0.33 inch thick, 2–3 minutes, then fold in thirds (first turn). Wrap and chill 30 minutes.
5. Second turn: Roll the dough to an 8×24-inch strip, 0.25–0.33 inch thick, 2–3 minutes. Fold in thirds, wrap, and chill 30 minutes.
6. Third turn: Roll again to 8×24 inches, 0.25–0.33 inch thick, 2–3 minutes. Fold in thirds, wrap, and chill 1 hour (or up to 12 hours) until relaxed and cool.
7. Shape: Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Roll the dough to a 10×20-inch rectangle about 0.25 inch thick, 3–5 minutes. Trim clean edges. Cut the rectangle into long triangles with 4-inch bases; cut a 0.5-inch notch at each base. Stretch each triangle gently, then roll from base to tip to form a crescent, 10–15 minutes total. Place on sheets with the tip underneath, spacing 3 inches apart.
8. Proof: Cover loosely with plastic or a large bag and proof at 75–80°F until puffy, jiggly, and about 50% larger, 1.5–2 hours. During the last 30 minutes of proofing, preheat the oven to 400°F.
9. Egg wash: Beat 1 large egg with 1 tbsp whole milk until smooth, 20–30 seconds. Gently brush the croissants with a thin, even coat just before baking.
10. Bake: Bake at 400°F until deeply golden brown and crisp, 18–22 minutes, rotating the pans halfway. Cool on racks until just warm, 10–15 minutes, before serving.
A croissant is a laminated, yeast-leavened pastry celebrated for its shattering, crisp exterior and delicate honeycomb crumb. The flavor is buttery and gently sweet, with a balance between richness and lightness that makes it as satisfying with jam as it is plain. Proper croissants showcase well-defined layers that fracture audibly and a tender interior that pulls into long, lacy strands.
Although often linked entirely to France, the croissant’s lineage traces to the Austrian kipferl, a crescent-shaped roll that traveled to Paris in the 19th century. French bakers transformed the idea by laminating dough with butter, innovating technique and standardizing shape, giving birth to the modern croissant. Over time it became a breakfast icon and a benchmark of bakery craft, with “croissant au beurre” in France denoting all-butter versions that stand apart from margarine-based varieties.