Croissants
These fresh, buttery croissants are sure to please with their unbeatable flavour and great looks.
The pastry takes a bit of time but the baking method is easy once you get the hang of it.
Just add jam, butter and a cup of coffee and you are good to go!
INGREDIENTS
- 485g Strong white bread flour
- 1tsp Salt
- 65g Caster sugar
- 2.5tsp Yeast
- 280ml Water
- 150g Butter (chilled)
- 1 Egg (beaten)
METHOD
- In a free standing mixer (with dough hook attachment) add flour, salt, sugar and yeast (ensuring the yeast is not in contact with salt or sugar) and water.
- Mix on a medium speed until the mixture comes together.
- Turn out onto a floured surface and form the mixture into a ball before wrapping in clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Place back onto the floured surface and roll into a 50 x 30cm rectangle.
- Divide the butter into three, take one third and chop it into small pieces.
- Scatter the butter over the top and bottom third of the dough rectangle leaving the middle third clear.
- Fold the top and bottom thirds of the dough down over themselves so the edges cover the unbutttered third and meet in the middle.
- Use a rolling pin to seal the sides.
- Wrap the pastry in clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Repeat as before using a third of the butter each time remembering to refrigerate between each addition of butter (if you don't do this the butter melts and the pastry doesn't work).
- Once all the butter has been used and the dough has been refrigerated, roll into a rectangle again and fold as before, turning the pastry by 90 degrees before rolling and folding again.
- After this, refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling into a rectangle 60 x 20cm in size.
- Using a pizza cutter, divide the pastry into approximately 8 isosceles triangles.
- To form the croissant, roll up from the base of the triangle and turn the ends towards each other (to form a crescent shape).
- Cover and leave to rise for an hour before brushing with beaten egg wash and baking at 200 degrees (fan) for around 18 minutes.
- Serve fresh from the oven for the best results.
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