Croissant Recipe

How to Make Croissant Dough:

1. Make the Dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast, and whisk together. Add the water, milk, and softened butter. With the dough hook attachment, mix on speed 2 for 3-4 minutes, or until a smooth ball of dough forms. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place (75-90°F) until nearly doubled in size, about 1 ½ to 2 hours, depending on room temperature. Cover a cutting board with plastic wrap and tip the risen dough over the covered board. Massage it into a 10 ½-inch square, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
2. Pound the Butter: Cut the butter lengthwise into ½-inch thick slabs. Arrange the slabs on a sheet of parchment paper to form a 5-inch square. Cover with another piece of parchment or wax paper and use a rolling pin to pound the butter into a 7 ½-inch square, trimming and rearranging the butter as needed to achieve the correct size. Refrigerate until fully chilled.

How to Laminate the Dough

1. Encase the Butter: Combining the dough and butter starts the lamination process. Set the butter at an angle over the dough so the corners of the butter are in the center of the sides of the dough (the butter should sit in a diamond shape). Fold the dough over the butter, stretching it slightly if needed to reach the center. Press the edges of the dough together to fully encase the butter inside, ensuring it doesn’t escape.
2. Turn 1: Place the dough on a floured work surface. Lightly flour the top of the dough and use a rolling pin to press down over the dough, elongating it (this helps to distribute the butter evenly). Then, start rolling it out to a rectangle measuring 8 by 24 inches, keeping the edges straight. Press in the corners with your hands if it loses its shape. Fold the dough into thirds, brushing off any excess flour. You should have a rectangular shape. Freeze for 20 minutes or refrigerate for 1 hour.
3. Turn 2: Repeat the rolling and folding process, this time rolling in the direction of the two open ends until the dough measures 8 by 24 inches. Fold into thirds again, brushing off excess flour. Cover and freeze for 20 minutes or refrigerate for 1 hour. (You can refrigerate overnight at this point if needed.)
4. Turn 3: Repeat the rolling to 8 by 24 inches and fold into thirds. Place the dough on a baking sheet, cover it completely with plastic wrap, tucking it under the dough. Refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days (or freeze at this point).

How to Form Croissants

1. Roll the Dough for Croissants: Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place it on a floured counter, lightly flouring the top. Press along the length of the dough with the rolling pin to widen it and wake it up. Then roll the dough into a long and narrow strip measuring 8 inches wide by 44 inches long. Sprinkle more flour if the dough sticks. Lift the dough at the midpoint and allow it to shrink back from both sides to prevent shrinking when cutting. Trim the dough so it is 40 inches long.
2. Cut Croissants: Place a yardstick or tape measure across the top of the dough and use a knife to mark the top at 5-inch intervals (there will be 7 marks). Move the yardstick to the bottom of the dough and mark 2 ½ inches from the end, then make marks at 5-inch intervals from that point along the bottom (for a total of 8 marks), falling halfway between the marks at the top. Set a clean ruler from the top corner to the first bottom mark and cut with a pizza cutter to form the first triangle. Repeat cutting the rest of the triangles. You’ll end up with 15 triangles and a few scraps of dough.
3. Shape Croissants: Use a knife to cut a ½-inch slit at the bottom of each triangle. Give the triangles a little tug to expand them to about 10 inches in length, then tightly roll the dough into a croissant. Transfer to two parchment-lined rimmed baking sheets, keeping them evenly spaced. Repeat with the remaining triangles. I also roll up the scraps into mini-croissants that may not look as nice but taste delicious.

How to Bake Croissants

1. Make the Egg Wash and Proof: In a small bowl, combine 1 egg, 1 yolk, and a pinch of salt, and beat together with a fork. Brush the egg wash over the croissants. Cover and refrigerate the remaining egg wash. Let the croissants proof uncovered at room temperature (70-75°F) for about 1-2 hours, depending on the room temperature, or until they have noticeably increased in size (but not doubled).
2. Bake Croissants: Brush the croissants again with the remaining egg wash, ensuring to cover the tops and sides. Bake at 425°F for 10 minutes (in a conventional oven on the top and bottom thirds). Rotate the pans and bake for another 8-10 minutes until they are a deep golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and cool to room temperature before serving.