Croissants

Why this recipe works Part pastry, part bread, a croissant has a crisp, deeply golden crust wrapped around tender, pillow-soft, buttery layers. We wanted to create an approachable but authentic croissant recipe for home bakers. The layered structure that characterizes croissants is formed through a process called lamination. First, a basic dough of flour, milk, yeast, sugar, salt, and a small amount of butter is made. Then, a larger amount of butter is formed into a block and encased in the relatively lean dough. This dough-and-butter package is rolled out and folded multiple times (called a ‘turn’) to form paper-thin layers of dough separated by paper-thin layers of butter. These layers are what make baked croissants so flaky and decadent. For our recipe, we found that more turns didn’t necessarily produce more layers—we stopped at three turns. We gave the dough a 30-minute super chill in the freezer to firm it up before rolling, cutting, and shaping, to minimize the risk of tears. After letting the croissants rise until they doubled in size, we brushed them with an egg wash and slid them into a very hot oven. When the croissants emerged, they possessed crisp, delicate tiers of pastry that made the process worth the effort. If you can’t find King Arthur all-purpose flour, you can substitute bread flour, though the dough may be more difficult to roll. Our favorite European-style butter is Plugrá. Do not attempt to make these croissants in a room that is warmer than 80 degrees. If at any time during rolling the dough retracts or softens, dust it lightly with flour, fold it loosely into thirds, cover it, and return it to the freezer to rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Be sure to reduce the temperature immediately after putting the croissants in the oven. This recipe yields 12 baked croissants and 10 croissants for freezing and baking at a later time.

MAKES: 22

RESTING TIME: 6 hours

RISING TIME: 2½ to 3 hours

BAKING TIME: 20 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 11 to 11½ hours, plus 15 minutes cooling time

KEY EQUIPMENT: rolling pin, 3 rimmed baking sheets, pastry brush

INGREDIENTS:

• 4¼ cups (21¼ ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 4 teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1¾ cups (14 ounces) whole milk, room temperature
• ¼ cup (1¾ ounces) sugar
• 3 tablespoons European-style unsalted butter, melted, plus 24 tablespoons (12 ounces) chilled
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water and pinch salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Whisk flour, yeast, and salt together in the bowl of a stand mixer. In a separate 4-cup liquid measuring cup, whisk together milk, sugar, and melted butter until the sugar has dissolved. Using the dough hook attachment on low speed, slowly add the milk mixture to the flour mixture. Mix until a cohesive dough starts to form and no dry flour remains, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as needed. Increase the speed to medium-low and knead for 1 minute. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
2. Transfer the dough to a parchment paper–lined rimmed baking sheet. Press it into a 10 by 7-inch rectangle, about 1 inch thick. Wrap it tightly with greased plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours.
3. Fold a 24-inch length of parchment in half to create a 12-inch rectangle. Fold over the three open sides of the rectangle to form an 8-inch square with enclosed sides. Firmly crease the folds.
4. Place the chilled butter directly on the counter and beat it with a rolling pin until it is just pliable but not warm, about 60 seconds. Fold the butter in on itself using a bench scraper, beating it into a rough 6-inch square.
5. Unfold the parchment envelope. Using a bench scraper, transfer the butter to the center of the parchment, refolding at the creases to enclose it. Turn the packet over so that the flaps are underneath, and gently roll until the butter fills the parchment square, ensuring even thickness. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes.
6. Transfer the dough to the freezer and chill for 30 minutes. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured counter and roll it into a 17 by 8-inch rectangle, with the long side parallel to the counter edge. Unwrap the butter square and place it in the center of the rectangle. Fold the two sides of the dough over the butter so they meet in the center. Press the seam together with your fingertips.
7. Using a rolling pin, press firmly on each open end of the dough packet. Roll the dough into a 24 by 8-inch rectangle, with the short side parallel to the counter edge. Fold the bottom third of the dough over the middle, then fold the upper third over it, like a business letter, to form an 8-inch square. Turn the dough 90 degrees counterclockwise and repeat the rolling and folding into thirds. Return the dough to the parchment-lined sheet, wrap it tightly with greased plastic, and return it to the freezer for 30 minutes.
8. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured counter so that the top flap of dough is facing right. Roll the dough into a 24 by 8-inch rectangle, with the short side parallel to the counter edge, and fold it into thirds. Return the dough to the baking sheet, wrap it tightly with plastic, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
9. Transfer the dough to the freezer and chill for 30 minutes. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured counter and roll it into an 18 by 16-inch rectangle, with the long side parallel to the counter edge. Fold the upper half of the dough over the lower half. Using a ruler, mark the dough at 3-inch intervals along the bottom edge with a bench scraper (you should have 5 marks). Move the ruler to the top of the dough, measure 1½ inches from the left, then use this mark to measure out 3-inch intervals (you should have 6 marks).
10. Starting at the lower left corner, use a pizza cutter or a chef’s knife to cut the dough into triangles from mark to mark. You will have 12 single triangles and 5 double triangles. Discard the scraps.
11. Unfold the double triangles and cut them into 10 single triangles, resulting in a total of 22 equal-sized triangles. If the dough begins to soften, return it to the freezer for 10 minutes. Cover all the triangles loosely with greased plastic.
12. Cut a ½-inch slit in the center of the short end of 1 dough triangle (keep the remaining triangles covered). Grasp the triangle by the two corners on either side of the slit and stretch it gently.
13. Grasp the bottom point of the triangle and stretch it. Place the triangle on the counter so that the point is facing toward you and fold both sides of the slit down.
14. Positioning your palms on the folds, roll partway toward the point. Gently grasp the point again and stretch it. To finish, continue to roll, tucking the point underneath. Curve the ends gently toward one another to create a crescent shape. Repeat with the remaining triangles.
15. Place 12 croissants on 2 parchment-lined rimmed baking sheets, spacing them about 2½ inches apart (6 croissants per sheet). Cover loosely with greased plastic and let them rise until nearly doubled in size, for 2½ to 3 hours. If desired, the unrisen croissants can be refrigerated for up to 18 hours. In that case, let them rise at room temperature for 3 to 3½ hours before baking. Place the remaining 10 croissants on a separate parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Wrap them tightly with greased plastic and freeze until solid, about 2 hours. Transfer the frozen croissants from the baking sheet to a zipper-lock bag and return them to the freezer. The frozen croissants can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. Arrange them on 2 sheets as directed and increase the rising time by 1 to 2 hours.
16. Adjust the oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions and preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celsius). Gently brush the croissants with the egg mixture. Place the croissants in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius). Bake for 12 minutes, then switch and rotate the baking sheets. Continue to bake until the croissants are deep golden brown, for 8 to 12 minutes. Transfer the croissants to a wire rack and let them cool for 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.