Recipe: Croissants: Classic French Recipe

Croissants: Classic French Recipe
Source: The Fanny Farmer Baking Book
Makes about two dozen (3-inch) croissants

1 1/4 cups milk, warmed
1 pkg dry yeast
1 tbsp sugar
1 1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup butter

Put the milk into a large mixing bowl and sprinkle the yeast over, stir, and let dissolve for several minutes. Add the sugar and salt, and stir to blend. Add the flour and mix only until the mass comes together in a shaggy ball. If it feels sticky, sprinkle a surface amply with flour. Otherwise, flour lightly. Roll into a rectangle approximately 9 x 14 inches, its length stretching out in front of you. Put the butter between two pieces of waxed paper and roll out to a rectangle about 6 1/2 x 8 inches. Remove paper and place the butter over the bottom half of the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch margin around the edges. Fold the top half over the bottom and wrap in plastic wrap or a plastic bag, and place in the refrigerator to rest and chill for 45 minutes.

Rolling Dough and Butter Together

The First Turn
You'll need a large work surface-about 30 inches wide-with plenty of room around it. Sprinkle the dough and your work surface with flour, turn the dough out onto the surface, then roll it into a rectangle about 9 x 13 inches, the length stretching out in front of you. Place the cold butter mixture on the bottom half of the dough, leaving about a l/2 inch border. Lift up the top unbuttered half of the dough and fold it down over the butter, then press the edges together to seal. (If you have worked slowly, and the butter has softened, slide the dough onto a floured baking sheet, cover with waxed paper or plastic wrap, and chill for about 15 minutes. If you worked rapidly and the butter is still cold and firm, chilling at this point is not necessary.) With the long sealed side to your right, roll the dough into a rectangle about 10 x 24 inches, its length stretching out in front of you. Use firm, smooth strokes with the rolling pin, and roll over the entire surface of the dough-very easy if you have a large, heavy pin. If at any time the butter softens and breaks through, stop working, dust lightly with flour, slide a large, floured baking sheet under it, and chill for about 15 to 20 minutes. Fold the bottom third of the dough up to the middle, then fold the top down to cover it, as though folding a business letter. This completes the first turn. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap or waxed paper, place in a plastic bag, then set on a baking sheet or large plate and refrigerate for 45 minutes.

The Second Turn
Place the chilled dough in front of you on a lightly floured surface with the long, sealed side to your right. Holding the rolling pin by both handles. give the stiff dough a half dozen or so whacks down its length to make it more malleable, then roll it out again into a rectangle 10 x 24 inches. If the butter does not appear perfectly smooth at this point, and some of it remains in small flecks and pieces under the surface of the dough, it's okay. Again fold in thirds like a business letter, then wrap and chill for at least 45 minutes-or up to a few hours, if convenient. If it rises a little, don't worry; it will be punched down when you roll it out again.

The Final Turns
Give the dough two more rollings and foldings, just as you did before, wrapping and chilling between turns if it begins to soften. After the final turn wrap and chill the dough for at least 1 1/2 hours-or overnight, if it's convenient-before forming and baking.

Forming the Croissants
To form the croissants, it will be easier to work with one half the dough at a time, so cut the dough into two equal pieces, wrap one piece, and keep it chilled. Use a ruler and grease pencil to stake out a 10 x 20-inch area on a floured surface, so that you have an idea how big the dough should be before you begin rolling. Place the dough on the surface, and roll it out to a 10x20-inch rectangle. Use smooth, firm strokes, and keep the corners and edges as square as possible; lift the dough occasionally and reflour the surface if it begins to stick. Cut the dough in half lengthwise. Use your ruler to mark off four 5-inch squares on each strip of dough, then cut the squares with a sharp knife. Cut each square in half diagonally, to form two triangles. Brush any excess flour from your work surface; for the next step, it should be clean. Butter some baking sheets, and have another baking sheet or two at hand so you can double-pan when you bake. Working with one triangle at a time, pull one of the points out a little, then start at the opposite side, rolling the triangle up. Pull the ends down to form a crescent shape, and place the croissant on the baking sheet, with the tip tucked under. Form the remaining triangles the same way, and place them on the baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Brush the top and sides with egg glaze; use your fingers-you will have more control that way and fewer drips. (If you run out of baking sheets, form all of the dough, and place the unbaked croissants on a tray or platter, then transfer to the baking sheets when the first batch is done.) Cover the baking sheets loosely with a towel and let the croissants rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until they look and feel light and puffy, and have doubled in size.

Baking the Croissants
Brush each croissant with the egg glaze again. Double-pan the baking sheets and place in a preheated 425 degrees F oven for 10 minutes, reduce the heat to 375 degrees F and continue baking for 8 to 10 minutes, until croissants are puffed and well browned. If you are baking more than one sheet at a time, reverse from top to bottom and front to back so they brown evenly. Remove from the oven and transfer to racks to cool for a few minutes before serving. Freeze any croissants you will not use that day. To reheat: Unwrap and place on a baking sheet in a preheated 400 degrees F oven for about 5 minutes.