How to make Croissants.

Croissants are a classic French pastry that are perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a special occasion like Mother’s Day. They may seem daunting to make at home, but with a little patience and practice, you can achieve the same flaky, buttery goodness as your favorite bakery. Here’s a recipe for making croissants from scratch.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup of granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons of instant yeast
• 1 1/4 teaspoons of salt
• 1 1/2 cups of cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 1 cup of cold milk
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 tablespoon of water

Preparation:

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.
2. Add the cold butter to the bowl and use a pastry cutter or your hands to cut it into the flour mixture. You want to create small pea-sized pieces of butter throughout the flour mixture. This will create the flakiness of the croissants. Once the butter is evenly distributed, make a well in the center of the bowl.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and egg. Pour the mixture into the well in the flour mixture and use a wooden spoon to combine. The dough should come together in a shaggy mass.
4. Knead the dough in the bowl for a few minutes until it becomes smoother. Then transfer it to a lightly floured work surface and knead for another minute or two.
5. Shape the dough into a ball and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or overnight.
6. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough into a rectangle that’s about 1/4-inch thick. Make sure to keep the edges straight and even.
7. Fold the rectangle in thirds like a letter, starting with one short end and folding it over the center third. Then fold the other short end over the top, like an envelope. This is the first “turn.”
8. Rotate the dough 90 degrees and roll it out again into a rectangle. Fold it in thirds again, like before. This is the second “turn.”
9. Repeat this process two more times for a total of four turns. This will create the layers of butter and dough that make croissants flaky.
10. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
11. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough into a rectangle that’s about 1/4-inch thick. Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to trim the edges and cut the dough into triangles that are about 4-5 inches wide at the base.
12. Use your fingers to stretch the base of each triangle slightly wider. Starting at the wide end, roll each triangle tightly towards the tip, tucking the point underneath.
13. Place the croissants on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, with the tip facing down. Leave some space between each croissant.
14. Cover the croissants with a clean kitchen towel and let them rise at room temperature for about 1-2 hours, until they are puffy and doubled in size.
15. Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a small bowl, whisk together the water and egg for the egg wash. Brush the egg wash over the croissants.
16. Bake the croissants for 15-20 minutes, or until they are golden brown and flaky. Let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before serving.