Nothing can beat a warm, flaky croissant fresh out of the oven, isn’t it? However, finding it anytime you want to eat can be quite a task, especially in India. Well, you wouldn’t need to suppress your sweet tooth, if you know how to make it at home, right? While we know that making croissants might not be the easiest of tasks but it can be so with the right kind of guidance. Therefore, in this blog, we’ll walk you through how to make croissants at home. So if you want to satisfy your croissant urges at home, keep on reading!
Ingredients You Need for a Perfect Croissant At Home
Croissants are basically laminated pastries. It means they have multiple layers of dough and butter folded together to create a flaky texture. To start with this homemade croissants recipe, you need to have the following ingredients:
1. For the Dough:
- 500g all-purpose flour
- Salt
- Sugar
- Active dry yeast
- 300ml warm milk
- Unsalted butter
2. For the Egg Wash:
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon of water
How to Make Croissants Dough?
You need to understand that the dough is the foundation of the croissant. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to make croissants dough:
Firstly to make this easy croissants recipe, you need to start with mixing the warm milk with sugar and yeast in a bowl. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until the mixture takes a foamy texture. Then, in a large bowl, put the flour and salt.
Now, you need to pour in the yeast mixture and stir to form a dough. Then, gently knead it for about 5-7 minutes until your dough becomes smooth and elastic. Make sure, the dough should be soft but not sticky.
Once the dough is soft and perfectly kneaded, shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly floured bowl. Now, you need to cover it with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours.
This step of chilling the balls will help in controlling the dough’s elasticity and makes it easier to roll out during the lamination process.
The Lamination Process – Creating Layers of Flakiness
Lamination is what gives croissants their characteristic layers. This is done by encasing cold butter within the dough and folding it multiple times.
Take your cold butter and place it between two sheets of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, flatten the butter into a square approximately 15 x 15 cm. Place the butter back in the fridge to keep it cold.
Once the dough has chilled, you need to roll it out into a 30×30 cm square on a lightly floured surface. Now, place the butter block in the center of the dough and fold the corners over the butter to seal it in. The dough should completely encase the butter.
Now, roll the dough into a long rectangle, about 60 cm in length. Fold the top third of the dough down, then the bottom third up over it, like folding a letter. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
After chilling, rotate the dough 90 degrees and roll it out again into a long rectangle. Fold the same way as before and refrigerate for another 30 minutes. Repeat the process one more time. This final fold will give you the desired flaky layers. After the third turn, refrigerate the dough for at least an hour (or up to overnight).
How to Make Croissants Shape?
Shaping the dough is a critical step in getting the croissants to look like they came straight from a professional bakery. Here’s how to master how to make croissants shape:
1. Roll Out the Dough: After the final chill, roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 60 cm by 30 cm, and around 5 mm thick.
2. Cut into Triangles: Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into long triangles. Each triangle should be around 10 cm at the base and 20 cm tall. This shape will give you the classic croissant look.
3. Shape the Croissants: Take a triangle and gently stretch the dough to elongate it slightly. Starting from the base of the triangle, roll it up toward the tip, tucking the tip under the croissant to prevent it from unrolling during baking. Curve the ends inward slightly to create the iconic crescent shape.
Proofing and Baking
- Proof the Croissants: Once shaped, place the croissants on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover them loosely with a kitchen towel and let them proof at room temperature for about 1-2 hours, or until they have doubled in size.
- Preheat the Oven: While the croissants are proofing, preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F).
- Egg Wash: In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water. Just before baking, brush the tops of the croissants with the egg wash for that shiny, golden finish.
- Bake: Bake the croissants for 15-20 minutes, or until they are golden brown and flaky. Once baked, let them cool slightly before indulging.
Things to keep in mind while making Croissants
There are certain things you need to take care of, other than the step by step croissant recipe. We have mentioned some of the extra tips that will give your at-home croissants a professional touch!
- Always keep the butter and dough cold throughout the process. This ensures proper lamination and prevents the butter from seeping out.
- Croissants take time, therefore, rushing would make the process messier or even lengthier. Hence, allow enough time for proper chilling and proofing to achieve the best results.
- The first time making croissants might be a learning curve, but with practice, your technique will improve.
Conclusion
Making croissants at home might seem like a never ending process, but with this homemade croissants recipe, you can make it very easily. You’ll be able to bake bakery-like, flaky croissants in your own kitchen. With practice, patience, and a bit of finesse, your croissants will turn out just as delicious as those from your favorite bakery!
However, if you’re passionate about perfecting your croissant-making skills, you can consider enrolling in a professional baking course. JBL Academy of Culinary Arts offers hands-on training from experienced chefs. Not only will you learn the art of lamination but also other crucial baking techniques to take your homemade pastries to the next level.