Ingredients
For the Dough
- 525 g all-purpose flour plus more for rolling
- 62 g white granulated sugar
- 7 g active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 236 ml filtered or distilled water room temperature
- 120 ml milk room temperature
- 1 cup 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature; divided
For the Egg Wash
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons water
Prepare the Dough and Butter
- Gather the ingredients.
- Add the water and milk. Using the dough hook, mix on low speed until blended.
- Turn the mixer up one speed. Add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, while kneading for about 4 minutes, until the dough cleans the bowl.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and roll it out into a rectangle, about 9 by 12 inches.
- Place the dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with a lint-free towel and a loose piece of plastic wrap to prevent drying. Let rest at room temperature for 1 1/2 hours, then transfer to the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- Line an 8-by-8-inch square dish with plastic wrap. Add 1 cup of soft butter and top it with a second piece of plastic. Press the butter into a flat square. Keep cool in the refrigerator while the dough rests. When it’s needed, the butter should be cold but a little soft and pliable; you may need to take it out 15 minutes before the dough is ready.
Laminate the Butter
- Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. Roll it into a square of about 14 inches.
- Place the cold butter onto the square dough so it looks like a diamond in the middle.
- Fold the four corners of the dough into the center, enveloping the butter.
- Roll the dough out to a rectangle that’s about 20 x 12 inches.
- Fold the dough into thirds, bringing the two short sides over the middle (like a letter).
- Transfer the dough to the parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with the towel and plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or up to 8 hours to help layer development.
- Repeat steps 4 through 6 to laminate the dough two more times. If the cold dough becomes too difficult to roll out, let it sit for a few minutes to warm slightly.During the third and final round, chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
- Tips- While you can mix the dough by hand, it's a sticky dough so a stand mixer is best. Knead for about 10 minutes without the mixer and try to keep the extra flour to a minimum.- A large work surface of about 18 by 30 inches is required to roll out the dough. If you're limited on space, split the dough into halves and work on a smaller scale.- The croissant dough should always remain cool. When the kitchen's warm, work quickly so the dough doesn't get too sticky. A marble slab, stainless steel surface, or countertop may be cooler to work on than a wood board.- Keep the rolling pin and surface well-floured to prevent sticking.- Roll out the length first, then adjust the width.- Use parchment paper to help move the dough from the board to the baking sheet.- A pastry bench scraper is very helpful in lifting the dough from the board.
Make the Croissants
- On a lightly floured board, roll the dough out into a rectangle about 24 x 14 inches. Use a pizza cutter to trim off the edges (the excess can be rolled out again to make more croissants).
- Cut the rectangle in half lengthwise. Cut 6 equal pieces (about 4 inches across) along the width for smaller croissants, or 4 equal pieces (about 6 inches) for larger croissants. Cut each of the smaller rectangles along the diagonal to create two triangles.
- Gently pick up one triangle and place it on the board with the triangle’s point facing away from you. Gently stretch out the tips at the base to even out the triangle. Cut a 1/2-inch notch at the base of the triangle.Lift the two corners and use your thumbs to roll the base toward the point. The point should stick out a little from underneath the rolled croissant.
- Keep the croissant straight or curve the two ends away from the point. Pinch the ends together for a closed croissant or leave them slightly open for a classic look. Place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Continue forming all of the croissants.
- Cover with a towel. Place the tray in a warm place (the oven with the light on is a good option) and let the croissants rise for 2 hours, or until double in size.
- Heat the oven to 375 F.
- Beat an egg with 2 teaspoons of water to create an egg wash. Brush on top of the fully risen croissants. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown on top.After all these steps, it can be easy to forget the egg wash. Don't worry, all is not lost! Brush soft butter on top of the warm croissants; the crust won't be crisp or shiny, but it's better than leaving them plain.
