Croissants

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Makes 22 to 26 croissants.  Total Time - 7 hours plus baking time.

Ingredients:

1.5 ounces unsalted French butter
 ("President" Butter from Normandy)

1 3/4 cups whole milk

4 teaspoons instant or rapid rise yeast 
16 ounces all-purpose flour

5.25 ounces bread flour

1.75 ounces sugar

2 teaspoons fine sea salt

Butter Beurrage:

12 ounces unsalted butter, very cold

Egg Wash:

1 egg

1 teaspoon water

pinch of salt

Preparation:

Step 1 - Melt 1.5 ounces butter in small saucepan over low heat.  Remove from heat, stir in milk.  Mixture should be slightly cool (less than 90 degrees), but not cold.  Transfer to work bowl of stand mixer.

Step 2 - Using dough hook on medium speed, add yeast to butter/milk  and mix.  Add flour, sugar, and salt.  Knead on low speed until cohesive dough forms, 2 to 3 minutes.  Increase speed to medium and knead for 1 minute.  Remove bowl from mixer and cover with plastic wrap.  Let dough rest at room temperature 15 minutes.  On a floured work surface, form dough into 10 inch by 7-inch rectangle about 1 inch thick.  Wrap tightly with plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Step 3 - Prepare butter beurrage.  Fold 24-inch length of parchment in half to create 12-inch rectangle.  Fold over 3 open sides of rectangle to form 8-inch square with enclosed sides.  Crease folds firmly.  Place 12 ounces cold butter directly on counter and beat with rolling pin for about 60 seconds until butter is pliable but not warm, then fold butter in on itself using bench scraper.  Beat into rough 6-inch square.  Unfold parchment and transfer butter to center of parchment, refolding at creases to enclose.  Turn packet over so that flaps are underneath and gently roll until butter fills parchment square, taking care to achieve even thickness.  Refrigerate at least 45 minutes.

Step 4 - Laminate Dough and Butter.  Transfer dough to freezer for 30 minutes.  On floured work surface, roll to a 17-inch by 8-inch rectangle.  Unwrap butter and place in center of dough.  Fold sides of dough over butter to meet in the middle to form 8-inch square.  Press middle seam together with fingers.  Press each open end firmly closed with rolling pin.  Roll out lengthwise into 24-inch by 8-inch rectangle.  Starting at bottom of dough, fold into thirds like a business letter into 8-inch square. Turn dough 90 degrees counterclockwise.  Roll out lengthwise again into 24-inch by 8-inch rectangle and fold into thirds.  This is 2 turns.  Wrap with plastic wrap and return to freezer for 30 minutes.  Repeat rolling, folding and 2 more times for a total of 4 turns.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 hours or up to 24 hours.  

Step 5 - Prepare pans and cut Croissants.  Put parchment paper on three flat-cookie sheets.  Set aside.  Transfer dough to freezer for 30 minutes.  On a floured surface, roll dough into 18 by 16 inch rectangle with long side parallel to edge of counter.  Fold upper half of dough over lower half.  Using ruler, mark dough at 3-inch intervals along bottom edge with bench scraper (you should have 5 marks).  Move ruler to top edge of dough, measure in 1 1/2 inches from left, then use this mark to measure 3-inch intervals (you should have 6 marks).  Use a sharp pizza wheel or knife to cut dough from mark to mark creating 12 triangles and 5 diamonds, save scraps.  Unfold diamonds and cut into 10 triangles making 22 equal-size triangles in total. Refrigerate triangles and remove two at a time to form.

Step 6 - Roll Croissants.  Position 1 triangle on counter.  (Keep remaining triangles covered with plastic.)  Cut 1/2 inch slit in center of short side of triangle.  Grasp triangle by 2 corners on either side of slit and stretch gently, then stretch bottom point.  Place triangle on counter so point is facing you.  (Now is the time to add a chocolate baton, if using).  Fold down both sides of slit.  Roll top of triangle partway toward point.  Gently grasp point with 1 hand and stretch again.  Place on cookie sheet.  Resume rolling, tucking point underneath.  Curve ends gently toward each other to create crescent.  Repeat with remaining triangles.  You should have 3 trays of 8 or 9 croissants each.  Place two trays in the refrigerator and remove one in 30 minutes and the second in 60 minutes to let rise.  Let each tray rise  an hour in proofing oven (standard proof) or 1 1/2 to 2 hours until double in size but don't over proof.  Warm weather, they proof faster.  Test by pushing a finger gently on dough.  If is slowly returns, it's ready to bake.  Turn oven on at least 30 minutes before you are ready to bake.

Step 7 (Optional) - How to Freeze.  Place croissants on parchment-lined baking sheets, wrap well, and freeze at this point then place in zip locked bags.  Can be frozen up to 2 months.  Croissants must be thawed in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours.  (Shaped croissants can be refrigerated for up to 18 hours.  Remove from refrigerator to rise and add at least 30 minutes to rising time.)  
Remove from refrigerator and separate onto several parchment lined baking sheets.  Cover loosely with sprayed plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until nearly doubled in size, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.  

Step 8 - Bake.  After croissants have risen, adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees.  Place cookie sheet in bottom of oven.  In small bowl, whisk together 1 egg, 1 teaspoon water, and pinch salt.  Gently brush croissants. Lower oven to 400 degrees.  Place 1 tray of croissants in oven . Add 1 cups ice to cookie sheet in bottom of oven.  Bake for 12 minutes, rotate baking sheets at 10 minutes.  Continue to bake 8-12 minutes until golden brown and internal temperature is 205 to 210.  Transfer to wire rack and cool about 15 minutes.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Critical:
1.  Butter must be pounded to fit 8" x 8" square.
2.  Butter must be same temperature as dough or it will separate.
3.  If dough gets warm while rolling, stop and refrigerate until cool enough to work with.
4.. Lift dough frequently while rolling so it doesn't stick to counter. 
5.  Be sure to rotate dough 90 degrees between each time you roll.
6.  Don't over proof or croissants will flatten during baking.
7.  Don't under proof or croissants will be heavy and doughy when cooked.
8.  Don't over bake.  Croissants are done when browned and internal temp is 205 degrees
9.  Croissants are 220 calories each. 

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History:

Recipe comes from America's Test Kitchen and Chef Tech Cooking School's Pro Baking, Classical French, series of classes.