Homemade French Croissants Recipe

Making homemade French croissants is a rewarding but time-consuming process that requires patience and attention to detail. Here’s a basic recipe to guide you through the steps of making delicious croissants from scratch:

Ingredients:

• 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 1/4 cups cold water
• 1 cup unsalted butter, cold but pliable
• 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)

Instructions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Mix well to combine.
2. Gradually add the cold water to the dry ingredients, mixing until a rough dough forms.
3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5-7 minutes until smooth and elastic.
4. Shape the dough into a rectangle, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

For laminating the dough:

1. Take the cold but pliable butter and place it between two sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap. Use a rolling pin to flatten and shape the butter into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick.
2. Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface into a larger rectangle, about twice the size of the butter rectangle.
3. Place the butter rectangle in the center of the dough rectangle and fold the dough over the butter, enclosing it completely.
4. Roll out the dough-butter combination into a long rectangle, then fold it into thirds like a letter (this is called a “turn”).
5. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Repeat the rolling and folding process (two more times for a total of three “turns”).
6. After the final turn, wrap the dough and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Shaping and baking the croissants:

1. Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick.
2. Cut the dough into triangles (about 5-6 inches wide at the base).
3. Make a small slit at the base of each triangle and gently stretch it before rolling up towards the tip to form the croissant shape.
4. Place the shaped croissants on baking sheets lined with parchment paper, leaving space between each croissant.
5. Cover the croissants loosely with plastic wrap and let them proof at room temperature for 2-3 hours until puffy and doubled in size.
6. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Brush the proofed croissants with beaten egg wash.
7. Bake the croissants in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and flaky.
8. Allow the croissants to cool slightly before serving. Enjoy your homemade French croissants warm with butter, jam, or your favorite fillings.

Note: While this recipe provides a basic guideline for making croissants, the process can be quite intricate, and achieving the perfect flakiness and layers may take practice. Don’t be discouraged if your first attempt isn’t perfect; it’s all part of the learning process in mastering the art of French pastry-making!