Solution? Fresh home made croissants from an old french recipe which takes three days and is very simple.
It's one sure way to create smiling faces in the early morning hours!
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| Final rising near the wood stove. Works like a charm. |
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| Brushed with milk. |
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| One dozen crispy on the outside, soft on the inside croissants |
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| Wish you were here!
Interested in giving it a go? Here's the recipe:
Croissants
Friday Night
1 cup milk
2 tsp active dry yeast
2 ¼ cups flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup of warm milk. Measure out 2 ¼ cups flour and add 2 Tbsp of this flour to the milk and yeast. Whisk until smooth, and then cover with plastic wrap. Set aside for about 20 minutes or until it doubles in size.
Meanwhile, mix the sugar and salt with the remaining 2 1/8 cups of flour. Prepare your mixer by putting on the dough hook attachment.
Next, transfer the raised dough of milk, yeast and flour to the mixing bowl. Warm the remaining ¾ cup of milk and add it to the bowl. Using dough hook (if your mixer has one) turn the mixer to medium and gradually add in dry ingredients of flour, sugar and salt. Reduce the speed to low and allow it to mix until the dough is sticky and soft. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. (I lay a plate atop the plastic wrap covered bowl, too, to hold the plastic wrap in place.)
Saturday Morning
12 Tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature (I set the butter out the night before)
3 Tbsp flour
Using your hand and a plate or a clean surface (I use waxed paper), knead the flour into the softened butter until fully incorporated. Shape into a square.
Cover your work surface with flour. Remove the dough from the fridge and begin to roll it into a 6 inch x 15 inch rectangle. Place the square of butter on the top third of the rolled dough. Gently spread the butter to cover the top 2/3 of the rectangle of dough leaving a ½ inch border around the outside.
Fold the dough like a letter, folding the bottom 1/3 up first and then the top 1/3 down. Turn it counter clockwise so the open flap is to the right. It should look like a notebook.
Roll it out again to a 6 inch x 15 inch rectangle and fold again. Transfer to a baking pan (I use cookie sheet lined with parchment paper), cover lightly with plastic wrap (give dough room to expand) and put back in the fridge for about 6 hours. (I lay a towel atop the plastic wrap, too, to keep it in place.)
Saturday Afternoon
Remove the dough from the fridge, place on a floured work surface. Roll out the dough and fold just like during the morning. Do this two times, wrap it again and refrigerate it overnight, (covered with plastic wrap and towel.)
Sunday Morning (You’re almost done!)
2 Tbsp milk for brushing
1 egg yolk + 1 Tbsp milk for glaze
Plan to start this process about 1 1/2 to 2 hours before you want to eat the croissants. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface. Working quickly, roll it out to a 16 inch circle. Cut the dough into quarters and each quarter into 3 triangles. (I use a pizza cutter - works great!)
To make each croissant, with both hands roll the wide base of triangle toward the corner. Transfer each one to a baking sheet. Brush with milk and then let them stand for about 45 minutes to an hour depending on room temperature. They should double in size. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Stir yolk and milk together and brush each croissant with the glaze. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes (I switch tray positions halfway through). If they brown too quickly lay a piece of foil over the top during baking. Let them cool 20 minutes before serving. Recipe from French Women Don't Get Fat, by Mireille Guiliano |
