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Croissants / Variations

Croissants / Variations recipe image
These homemade croissants offer the ultimate comfort food experience, featuring delicate, paper-thin layers of golden, flaky pastry wrapped around a soft, airy interior. The rich aroma of butter and the subtle sweetness of the dough make them irresistible fresh from the oven. While traditional croissants require patience and technique, this recipe guides you through the lamination process to achieve professional results at home. They are perfect for a leisurely Sunday brunch, a special holiday morning, or simply paired with strong coffee for an indulgent treat. You can enjoy them plain or experiment with the included almond and fruit filling variations for added flavor and texture.
Cooking Method:
Cuisine:
Courses:
Difficulty: Advanced
Servings: 8
Calories: 674.1
Dietary: Vegetarian
Description
These homemade croissants offer the ultimate comfort food experience, featuring delicate, paper-thin layers of golden, flaky pastry wrapped around a soft, airy interior. The rich aroma of butter and the subtle sweetness of the dough make them irresistible fresh from the oven. While traditional croissants require patience and technique, this recipe guides you through the lamination process to achieve professional results at home. They are perfect for a leisurely Sunday brunch, a special holiday morning, or simply paired with strong coffee for an indulgent treat. You can enjoy them plain or experiment with the included almond and fruit filling variations for added flavor and texture.
Ingredients
  • 1 package YEAST
  • 1/4 cup WARM WATER (110 DEG F.)
  • 3/4 cup WARM MILK (110 DEG F.)
  • 1 tablespoon SUGAR
  • 1/2 teaspoon SALT
  • 1/3 cup GLUTEN FLOUR
  • 2 1/4 cup BREAD FLOUR
  • 1/2 pound FIRM, UNSALTED BUTTER
  • 1 ea EGG YOLK *
Directions
  1. 1
    In a small bowl, beat the egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of milk and set aside for later use.
  2. 2
    In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Stir in the warm milk, sugar, salt, and gluten flour.
  3. 3
    Gradually add 2 cups of the bread flour to the mixture. Beat with a heavy mixer on high speed for 5 minutes, or by hand for 15 minutes, until the dough is elastic and pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl.
  4. 4
    Cover the bowl and let the dough rise for 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in bulk.
  5. 5
    Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  6. 6
    Meanwhile, cut the butter sticks into thin slices, place them on waxed paper, and refrigerate until very cold.
  7. 7
    On a cool surface, sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of flour. Roll out the dough to form a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick.
  8. 8
    Arrange the cold butter slices, slightly overlapping, in the center third of the dough. Fold each extending side over the butter to enclose it completely.
  9. 9
    Roll the dough again to a 3/8 inch thickness. Turn the dough over while rolling to flour the surface as needed to prevent sticking, using as little flour as possible.
  10. 10
    Fold the dough in thirds again to make a squarish rectangle. Repeat this rolling and folding process one more time.
  11. 11
    Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  12. 12
    Roll and fold the dough 2 more times exactly as before, then wrap and refrigerate for another 30 minutes.
  13. 13
    Roll the dough into a large rectangle approximately 1/8 inch thick.
  14. 14
    Cut the dough into triangles about 6 inches at the base and 8 inches long.
  15. 15
    If desired, place a filling (such as almond paste or fruit filling) in the center of each triangle.
  16. 16
    Roll the triangles up from the base to the point and place on 2 ungreased baking sheets, ensuring they are at least 1 1/2 inches apart.
  17. 17
    Curve the ends inward to form a crescent shape.
  18. 18
    Cover and let rise for about 2 hours, until very puffy and doubled in size. Brush each croissant with the egg yolk mixture.
  19. 19
    Bake at 400 degrees F (204&# 194;°C) for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown.
  20. 20
    For Almond Filling: In a blender, whirl 1/3 cup unblanched almonds until finely ground. Stir in 1/3 cup all-purpose flour and 1/3 cup sugar. Work in 1/3 cup unsalted butter with the blender. Add 1/4 teaspoon almond extract. Place 1 tablespoon mixture in the center of each croissant before rolling up.
  21. 21
    For Fruit Filling: Fill each croissant with 1 tablespoon canned fruit pie filling before rolling up. Bake as directed and sprinkle each with powdered sugar while still hot.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 8

Amount Per Serving
Calories 674.1kcal
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 8.7g14%
Saturated Fat 2.3g12%
Cholesterol 270.9mg91%
Sodium 2472.9mg104%
Total Carbohydrate 124.7g42%
Dietary Fiber 3.8g16%
Sugars 7.2g
Protein 25.1g51%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Keywords: croissants, french pastry, buttery, flaky, homemade bread, yeast dough, lamination, breakfast pastry, brunch recipe, almond filling, fruit filling, gluten flour, bread flour, baking from scratch, weekend baking, rich pastry, golden brown, layered dough, pastry chef
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