CROISSANTS

CROISSANTS

2014-02-26 19:05:06

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Ingredients

1. 300g Strong White Flour
2. 40g Caster Sugar
3. 6g Salt
4. 6g Dried Yeast
5. 160ml Milk (or 50/50 milk and water)
6. 250g Unsalted Butter (or Margarine if making them for Vegans)

Instructions

1. In a mixing bowl put the flour, sugar and salt then mix together.
2. Put the cold milk (or milk and water) in a jug, add the yeast then combine together then knead the dough for 10 minutes. (or 5 minutes in a food mixer with dough hook on a medium speed)
3. Place the dough in a bowl then cut slashes in it (it helps you know how much the dough has risen).
4. Leave to prove for an hour.
5. Place the dough on the table and knead it for a few seconds to deflate it.
6. Roll the dough into a ball, then roll out from the centre to the edges (see diagram) leaving a hump in the middle. It should resemble a flattened out envelope.
7. Flatten a whole block of butter between two sheets of greaseproof paper, so that it is about the thickness of two pound coins.
8. Put the butter onto the dough, then fold the flaps over each other into the middle of the dough.
9. Press down with a rolling pin to break up the butter, turning the dough to keep the dough block an even shape.
10. Roll the dough out into a rectangle (don't worry if it is square, you can correct it later!).
11. Fold one end of the dough into the middle (fold one third) then fold the other third over it.
12. Wrap in cling film and put in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes. You may need to fold it up to fit it in the fridge.
13. After a minimum of 30 minutes remove from the fridge and roll out, keeping a rectangular shape, fold as before (a third, then another third) turn the dough 180 degrees then roll and fold again.
14. Wrap the dough in cling film and chill for a further 30 minutes (minimum).
15. Remove the dough from the fridge and roll and fold a further two times.
16. Wrap in cling film and return to the fridge (again) this time for an hour.
17. Roll the dough out to the thickness of a pound coin.... then cut as desired (see suggestions below).

Croissants

1. To make croissants: cut the dough into triangles that are taller than they are wide, 4-5 inches tall by 3-3.5 inches wide.
2. Put a cut in the middle of the short end then pull the corners outwards a little then roll up, so that the point end of the triangle is the last part to be rolled.
3. Put each croissant on a baking sheet with a good gap between (you will be suprised how much they will grow!)
4. Brush with milk and leave to prove until they have doubled in size then bake at 170oC for 15-20 minutes.

Pain aux Raisins

1. Make Crème Patisserie as per the separate recipe.
2. Roll out the croissant dough as above then cover with Crème Patisserie then cover with a good sprinkling of raisins.
3. Roll up the dough (nice and tightly).
4. Cut into 2cm slices, place on a baking tray with a big gap between them (they will rise up a lot).
5. You then have a choice.... i) Brush with milk before proving or ii) Brush with sugar syrup after baking. (Mix a tablespoon of sugar with a dash of boiling water, until the solution is saturated).
6. Bake as Croissants.

Pain Au Chocolat

1. Cut a bar of good quality chocolate into strips.
2. Roll out the dough and cut into rectangles that are big enough for your chocolate strips (along the shortest side).
3. Place one strip of chocolate on the dough, roll the dough round the chocolate, then place the other strip, tuck the remaining dough underneath.

Torsade au Chocolat (Chocolate Twist)

1. Chop up a bar of good quality dark chocolate or use chocolate chips (called pepites in French).
2. Make the Crème Patisserie.
3. Roll out the dough as per the croissant recipe.
4. Cover with the Crème Patisserie then sprinkle with the chocolate or chocolate chips.
5. Fold over (like a sandwich) then cut into strips 2.5cm wide (or as you want).
6. Place on a baking tray, leave to prove then bake as croissants.

Almond Croissants

1. Make as croissants above.
2. Before rolling out, put a little ball of marzipan inside the dough as you roll up the croissant.
3. Brush the croissants with milk then dip into ground almonds or sprinkle with flaked almonds.

Cherry & Almond Croissants

1. As almond croissants but with a glace cherry or two as well.

By Danny Gee

Inspirational Recipes http://www.inspirationalrecipes.co.uk/

The cutter is part of a boxed set, a book with a cutter. Amazon sell it.

        Update on 3rd of March: My Mum said that we should tell you all that this is the first batch we have ever made of these…. you can also make great croissants yourself!