Croissant

A very delicious French pastry which is very famous for its difficulty in doing. It is not common in household for people to bake croissants (even in Paris) is what I have heard unless they join some fun group like us "We Knead to Bake" which was started by Aparna. I was very intimidated by this croissants for a few years and now because of this group, I made it. I have previously watched Julia Child's show where she demonstrates Croissant. I have also seen it on Americas Test Kitchen and Croissants have been on my To-do for quite long now... Finally got to make it!!!!! Am so happy and so thrilled that I could make it at home and I can call it successfully!! A perfect croissant should be soft inside and very flaky outside and I got it!!!! yayyyyy!!!! I have some points to note and some tips that I learned along the way!!!!



     Ingredients
    All Purpose Flour - 4 Cups
   Water - 1/2 cup + 1 table spoon
    Luke Warm Milk - 3/4 Cup
    Sugar - 1/4 Cup
    Yeast - 4 tea spoons
    Salt - 2 tea spoons
    Cold Butter - 290 grams
    Soft Butter - 40 grams







Method
Heat the milk until it is about 110 degrees F. Add the soft butter to it and mix it well.
To a mixing bowl, add yeast, flour, sugar, salt and mix well
Now add butter and milk mixture and allow it to run on very slow speed for 30 seconds

Now add 1/2 cup water and allow it to run on medium speed for a minute or until combined. Add a table spoon or two more if needed.
Do not knead too much, then the gluten will get developed and it will become hard to roll later
Cover with a plastic wrap and allow it to rest on room temperature for 30 minutes

Pound the butter such that it becomes malleable and make a 8" pocket with parchment paper. Take a parchment sheet and fold it such that you get a 8 inch square in between (see below). Set aside. Keep the butter inside the pocket and roll it to a 8 inch square


After 30 minutes, lightly press the dough to a 10x7 rectangle and place it in parchment lined baking tray and cover it with plastic wrap and allow it to rest in the fridge for 2 hours and in the freezer for 30 minutes

Now the dough will feel like cold clay
With dusting the surface little, roll the dough to a 17x8 inch rectangle. Remove the butter from the fridge, from the pocket and place it in the center and cover the butter from both sides
Now lightly roll it and ensure that the butter does not come out. Pinch the seams and seal the butter

Roll it to a 8x24 inch rectangle and make the first fold. Fold it like a business letter. Fold it 1/3rd way and then fold from the other end
Keep it in the freezer for 30 minutes and re roll it to 8x24 inch rectangle and similarly fold it in three fold
Keep it back in the freezer for another 30 minutes and re roll it to a 8x24 rectangle and fold it three fold
Now keep it back in the fridge overnight and in the freezer for 30 minutes

Roll it to a 16x18 inch rectangle and cut it 2 pieces like 8x18 and 8x18.

To one 8x18 piece, mark along the edges marking 3 inches and on the other side, leave 1.5 inches gap at first and then mark 3 inch markings

Start cutting from one mark to another such that you get 3 inch wide triangles.
Make a cut in the center and stretch it with hands and roll the croissant from the wide side to the pointer side
Allow it to rest on room temperature for 2 to 3 hours
Brush with milk / cream and bake it in a preheated oven for 15 - 20 minutes. Mine took 18 minutes
Allow it to cool for a minute in the tray and transfer to the cooling rack and allow it to cool for 10 minutes
Enjoy warm!!!

Points / Tips
Do not run the mixer for long, it will build the gluten and will make it very hard to roll.
Making the butter pocket ensures that you have a square butter which is very crucial to this recipe
Have a ruler / scale which is very necessary for this recipe
Any time the dough feels warm or is starting to stick, put it back in the freezer for about 30 minutes and give it a time out and re roll
Always cover the dough or rolled dough or shaped dough with a plastic wrap to ensure that it does not dry out!!

This recipe will make around 26 croissants
I made only a few and kept the remaining shaped ones in the freezer. When I am ready to relish them again, I will need to bring it to room temperature and allow it to rise for 3 hours before baking.
Ensure that the butter is cold but malleable. If it is too soft, it will melt. If it is too cold, it will break
Temperature of the butter I used is 40 degrees F


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