Croissants / variations

8 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 pack YEAST
¼ cup WARM WATER (110 DEG F.)
¾ cup WARM MILK (110 DEG F.)
1 tablespoon SUGAR
½ teaspoon SALT
⅓ cup GLUTEN FLOUR
2¼ cup BREAD FLOUR
½ pounds FIRM, UNSALTED BUTTER
1 each EGG YOLK *

Directions

* EGG YOLK BEATEN WITH 1 TABLESPOON OF MILK * -----------------------------------------------------------------------* IN A LARGE BOWL DISSOLVE YEAST IN WARM WATER. STIR IN MILK, SUGAR, SALT AND GLUTEN FLOUR. GRADUALLY ADD 2 CUPS OF BREAD FLOUR. BEAT WITH HEAVY MIXER FOR 5 MINUTES ON HIGH SPEED (OR BEAT BY HAND FOR 15 MINUTES) UNTIL DOUGH IS ELASTIC AND PULLS AWAY FROM SIDES OF BOWL. COVER AND LET RISE FOR 1½ HOURS OR UNTIL DOUBLED IN BULK. SCRAPE DOUGH OUT ONTO A LIGHTLY FLOURED BAKING SHEET. COVER WITH PLASTIC WRAP AND REFRIGERATE FOR 30 MINUTES. MEANWHILE, CUT BUTTER STICKS INTO THIN SLICES, PLACE ON WAXED PAPER, REFRIGERATE UNTIL VERY COLD. SPRINKLE ABOUT 1 TABLESPOON FLOUR ON A COOL SURFACE. ROLL OUT DOUGH TO FORM A RECTANGLE ABOUT ¼" THICK. ARRANGE BUTTER SLICES, SLIGHTLY OVER LAPPING, IN THE CENTER ⅓ OF THE DOUGH. FOLD EACH EXTENDING SIDE OVER THE BUTTER. ROLL AGAIN TO ⅜" THICKNESS. TURN DOUGH OVER WHILE ROLLING TO FLOUR SURFACE TO PREVENT STICKING. USE AS LITTLE FLOUR AS POSSIBLE. FOLD DOUGH IN THIRDS AGAIN TO MAKE A SQUARISH RECTANGLE. ROLL AND FOLD DOUGH AGAIN THE SAME WAY. WRAP DOUGH IN PLASTIC WRAP AND REFRIGERATE FOR 30 MINUTES. ROLL AND FOLD 2 MORE TIME, EXACTLY AS BEFORE, THEN WRAP AND REFRIGERATE FOR 30 MINUTES MORE. ROLL DOUGH INTO A RECTANGLE ⅛" THICK. CUT INTO TRIANGLES ABOUT 6" AT THE BASE AND 8" LONG.

IF DESIRED, PLACE FILLING IN THE CENTER OF EACH TRIANGLE. ROLL TRIANGLES UP FROM BASE TO POINT AND PLACE ON 2 UNGREASED BAKING SHEETS. CROISSANTS SHOULD BE ATLEAST 1 ½ INCHES APART ALL AROUND. CURVE ENDS INWARD TO FORM A CRESCENT SHAPE. COVER AND LET RISE FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS (UNTIL VERY PUFFY AND DOUBLED.) BRUSH EACH CROISSANT WITH EGG YOLK MIXTURE. BAKE AT 400 DEG F. FOR ABOUT 20 TO 25 MINUTES.

VARIATIONS: ALMOND FILLING, IN A BLENDER WHIRL ⅓ CUP UNBLANCHED ALMONDS UNTIL FINELY GROUND. STIR IN ⅓ CUP ALL PURPOSE FLOUR AND ⅓ CUP SUGAR.

WORK IN ⅓ CUP UNSALTED BUTTER WITH BLENDER. ADD ¼ TEASPOON ALMOND EXTRACT. PLACE 1 TABLESPOON MIXTURE IN THE CENTER OF EACH CROINSSANT BEFORE ROLLING UP.

FRUIT FILLING, FILL EACH CROISSANT WITH 1 TABLESPOON CANNED FRUIT PIE FILLING. BAKE AS DIRECTED AND SPRINKLE EACH WITH POWDERED SUGAR WHILE STILL HOT.

Related recipes