Description
This recipe guides you through making classic homemade flaky croissants with buttery layers and a golden crust. Perfect for breakfast or brunch, these croissants are made from scratch with simple ingredients and require folding butter into the dough multiple times to achieve their signature flakiness.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 3/4 cup warm water
Butter Layer
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
Finishing
- 1 egg (for egg wash)
Instructions
- Mix Dough: In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and active dry yeast. Pour in the warm water and mix until a dough forms.
- Knead and Rise: Knead the dough for 5-7 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover it with a damp cloth and let it rise for 1 hour until it doubles in size.
- Incorporate Butter: Roll the dough out into a rectangle. Evenly place the cold butter cubes onto one half, then fold the dough over the butter. Roll out again into a rectangle. Fold the dough into thirds like a letter and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up the butter layers.
- Layer Folding: Repeat the rolling and folding process two more times, chilling the dough between folds, to create the characteristic flaky layers in the croissants.
- Shape Croissants: Roll out the dough one final time into a rectangle and cut into triangles.
- Form Croissants: Starting at the wide end, roll each triangle tightly into a crescent shape and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Egg Wash and Bake: Brush the croissants with beaten egg to give them a glossy finish. Bake in a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed up.
Notes
- Use cold butter to ensure the dough develops flaky layers.
- Keep the dough chilled between folds to prevent butter from melting.
- For best results, use a kitchen scale to measure ingredients accurately.
- Serve croissants fresh from the oven or reheat gently before serving.
