Croissants

Ingredients

• 500 g flour
• 1 cube yeast (42 g)
• 200 ml milk
• 50 g butter
• 70 g sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 egg yolks
• 250 g butter
• 70 g flour
• 2 egg whites (for brushing)

Instructions

1. 1.

   For the yeast dough, stir yeast into the milk until smooth. In a bowl combine flour, finely chopped butter, sugar, salt and egg yolks; pour in the yeast milk and knead with an electric hand mixer’s dough hooks until the dough is smooth, elastic and releases from the bowl edges. Cover and let rise in the refrigerator for 2–3 hours.

2. 2.

   For the butter dough, mix finely chopped butter with flour. Shape the butter dough between plastic wrap into a block about 10 × 12 cm.

3. 3.

   On a floured surface knead the yeast dough again and roll it out to roughly 25 × 30 cm. Place the butter dough in the center. Brush the edges of the yeast dough with water, fold over the butter layer and roll to about 20 × 35 cm. Fold one side toward the middle, then lay the other side on top. The dough now has three layers; wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

4. 4.

   After resting, give the dough two more turns: roll out, fold as described and refrigerate another 30 minutes.

5. 5.

   On a floured surface roll the laminated dough and cut into strips about 15 cm wide and 50 cm long. Cut each strip lengthwise into pointed triangles roughly 12 cm wide and roll them toward the point to form croissants.

6. 6.

   Place the croissants on parchment-lined baking sheets with space between them. Let rise covered with a kitchen towel in a warm spot for 15 minutes. Brush the tops with lightly beaten egg white and bake in a preheated oven at 220 °C for about 15–20 minutes until golden brown.