Description
This step-by-step croissant recipe guides you through the traditional French technique of making buttery, flaky croissants at home. Starting with yeast activation, dough preparation, butter incorporation, and a detailed lamination process, you’ll learn how to create delicate layers that puff beautifully in the oven. With resting and chilling periods to perfect texture and flavor, these croissants are ideal for breakfast or a special treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast (or active dry yeast)
- 160 g whole milk (lukewarm)
- 120 g water
- 470 g all-purpose flour (plus extra for dusting)
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 30 g unsalted butter (room temperature)
Butter Block
- 250 g unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: In a large bowl, combine lukewarm milk, water, yeast, and sugar. If you are using active dry yeast, allow the mixture to sit for 5-10 minutes until frothy to activate it. If using instant yeast, this step can be skipped as it dissolves directly into the liquid.
- Make Dough: Add all-purpose flour and salt to the yeast mixture, stirring until a rough dough forms.
- Knead Dough: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 3 minutes. This develops the gluten and results in a smoother, less sticky dough.
- Incorporate Butter: Add 30 g of room temperature unsalted butter to the dough and knead a few more minutes until fully incorporated.
- Chill Dough: Shape the dough into a rough rectangle, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight to rest and firm up.
- Prepare Butter Block: Mix 250 g of room temperature unsalted butter with 1 1/2 tablespoons of flour until combined. Place between two sheets of parchment paper and roll into a 20×15 cm (8×6 inch) rectangle about 0.5 cm (1/4 inch) thick, using the folding parchment technique to create clean edges.
- Chill Butter Block: Refrigerate the butter block until it is firm but pliable.
- Laminate Dough: Roll out the chilled dough on a floured surface to a 20×32 cm (8×12.5 inch) rectangle, twice the height of the butter block and similar in width. Place the butter block centered on the dough then fold the dough edges over to fully encase the butter. Seal the edges and make shallow slits along the edges to prevent tearing during rolling.
- First Fold: Rotate the dough 90 degrees so the seam is vertical. Roll gently into a long rectangle about 6 mm thick, focusing on length. Trim uneven edges, then fold the top third down and the bottom third up like a letter. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes.
- Second Fold: Repeat the rolling and folding process: roll out, trim edges for neatness, fold into thirds, turn, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for another 30-60 minutes.
- Third Fold: Repeat the rolling and folding once more, then refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours to allow the gluten to relax and butter layers to chill properly.
- Shape Croissants: Roll the dough into a 60×30 cm (24×12 inch) rectangle about 5 mm (1/4 inch) thick. Mark 5 cm (2 inch) intervals along the top and bottom edges and cut diagonal lines to form approximately 12 triangles. Gently stretch each triangle at the base, roll from the wide end to the tip, tuck the tip under to secure, and curve the ends into classic crescent shapes.
- Proof Croissants: Place the shaped croissants on parchment-lined baking trays, cover loosely with plastic wrap or a towel, and proof at room temperature for 2-5 hours until doubled in size and puffy. You can check readiness by gently shaking the tray; the croissants should jiggle.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F) to prepare for baking the croissants.
- Egg Wash: Whisk together one large egg with one tablespoon of water. Using a pastry brush, gently coat the tops of the croissants with the egg wash to achieve a shiny, golden crust.
- Bake Croissants: Bake croissants in the preheated oven for 20-22 minutes until they are deeply browned and crisp. Allow to cool to room temperature before slicing to enjoy the best flaky layers.
Notes
- Use cold butter and chill dough well between folds to create distinct flaky layers.
- Ensure all butter and dough work is done quickly to prevent butter from melting into the dough.
- Proof croissants until they are visibly puffy and jiggle when the pan is gently shaken, which indicates proper fermentation.
- Egg wash adds a beautiful golden shine but can be omitted for a lighter crust.
- Store leftover croissants at room temperature in an airtight container and reheat gently to restore flakiness.
