Go Back
–+ servings
Homemade french croissants made with french butter.
Print

Homemade French Croissants

Homemade French Croissants made with a mixture of bread flour and all purpose flour. How to make flaky croissants from scratch!
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine British, French
Servings 9 Croissants
Author Jenn

Ingredients

Poolish

  • ¾ Cup ( 100 g) All Purpose Flour
  • ½ Cup Water room temperature to slightly warm
  • 2 tsp Active Dry Yeast

Croissant Dough

  • 2 Cups Bread Flour
  • 2.5 Tbsp Granulated Sugar
  • 15 Grams French Style Unsalted Butter softened
  • 1 tsp Sea Salt
  • 150 Grams French Style Unsalted Butter softened
  • 2 Eggs
  • ¼ Cup Water room temperature

Instructions

Make the Poolish

  • In the bowl of stand mixer, gently stir together yeast and water.
  • Sift ¾ Cup All Purpose Flour over yeast mixture to create a light white blanket of flour.
  • Let poolish sit for 10-15 minutes until flour starts to crack on top.

Make the Dough

  • Once the poolish is ready, turn on mixer to medium low speed fitted with the dough hook attachment.
  • Slowly spoon in Bread Flour, Sugar, the 15 grams of softened butter, remaining water, eggs, and sea salt. (Stir eggs gently with a fork prior to adding.)
  • Turn mixer up to medium speed and work the dough for 1-2 minutes.
  • Scrape bottom of bowl with a spatula to make sure all ingredients are incorporated.
  • Work dough again at medium speed for 2-3 minutes until a coarse but tacky dough is formed. If it is too dry add 1-2 Tbsp of water as needed.
  • Transfer dough to a lightly floured bowl, then dust lightly with All Purpose Flour. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set in a warm draft free location to double in size 1-2 hrs.
  • Once dough has doubled in size, place on a lightly floured surface. Shape dough into in a oval, removing excess air, but without kneading the dough.
  • Wrap in plastic wrap again and place in the refrigerate over night.
  • ** (Option to chill for only an hour and then laminate dough, chilling the laminated dough overnight before rolling out and baking the next day)

Prepare the Butter

  • Place block of butter onto a sheet of parchment paper. Then cover with an additional layer of parchment paper. Gently roll the butter into a 8 x 6 inch rectangle with a rolling pin.
  • Take your fingers and rub the edges of the butter staying on the outside of the parchment paper to help shape evenly.Place the butter still sandwiched between parchment layers in the fridge to firm while you make your dough.

Laminate the Dough

  • Remove chilled dough from fridge, place on floured surface, and roll out to a 16 X 8 inch rectangle. It will have some elasticity so make sure to use smooth motions. I sometimes flip it over after a couple rolls, making sure surface stays floured.
  • Let the butter warm slightly so it can be molded. But remember it must still be cold.Place the butter on the lower half of the rolled dough, length wise.
  • Take the top half and fold over the butter. Gently press the dough ends together with palm of your hand to seal the edges around the butter.
  • Rotate the folded dough clockwise so two ends on top of each other are now on your right and the open sides are facing at 12 0'clock and 6 o'clock.
  • Roll the dough back out into a rectangle and fold the top third down over the center. Then fold the bottom third up over the now doubled center.
  • Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
  • Repeat the roll out, fold, and chill three more times.
  • **(Option of only chilling dough for an hour, then laminating and allowing shaped book to be wrapped in plastic and chill over night.)
  • Roll the dough out for its final roll to a rectangular close to 20 inches long by 7 inches wide. Rotate the dough so the long sides are facing you from left to right.

Cut and Roll the Croissants

  • Mark the top long side of the dough with a ruler every 3.5 inches.
  • Using the paper 'cut out' mentioned in tips to measure your triangles.
  • You will have two half triangles, one from each end of the dough, just press them together to form one large triangle.
  • Now using the same sharp knife cut a ¾ inch slit in the center of the base (short side) of each of your triangles. 
  • Start by gently opening pulling the two sides from the slit apart. Almost like your widening the base of the triangle.
  • Begin to roll from the widest part of the triangle to the tip.
  • Repeat with all triangle pieces of dough.
  • Place each rolled croissant carefully onto parchment paper line baking trays. Space the croissants 2-3 inches apart.

Prove and Bake Croissants

  • Gently brush croissants with egg wash and set in cold oven with light on, to puff for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
  • Remove and preheat oven to 375 F.
  • While oven is preheating, super gently add a second coat of egg wash.
  • Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.
  • Let cool on oven rack for 5-10 minutes before devouring.