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Croissants

Yield: 12

Author: Sarah Truesdell

adapted from "Baking at Republique"

Ingredients

Sponge

• 1/3 cup (90g) water, at room temp
• 1 cup (125g) bread flour
• 1⁄4 tsp instant yeast

Dough

• 1/2 cup (115g) cold water
• 2/3 cup plus 2 tsp (170g) whole milk
• 7g instant yeast (1 packet or 2 1/4 tsp)
• 1/3 cup plus 4 tsp (80g) sugar
• 2 1/2 tsp (15g) fine sea salt
• 4 1/4 cup (530g) bread flour
• 1 tbsp + 2 tsp 20g melted butter

Butter block

• 2 1/2 cups (290 g.) unsalted high fat butter ("European style" that has 12 g of fat or more per tablespoon)

Egg wash

• 1 whole egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon milk

Instructions

Make the Sponge (12 hours ahead of time)

1. In the bowl of a stand mixter, fitted with the dough hook, mix all ingredients together for 5 minutes. Cover and leave out at room temperature for 12 hours.

Make the dough

1. To the bowl with your sponge, add the milk, water, yeast and sugar and mix with the dough hook until the sponge breaks up. 
2. Add the flour and salt all at once and and mix with the dough hook. 
3. Add the melted butter and continue mixing on medium speed for about 8 minutes, or until the dough shows a strong window pane. 
4. Cover and allow the dough to rise for one hour at room temperature.

Make the butter block

1. Fold a quarter sheet piece of parchment paper in half. Place cold butter between the two halves and beat down with a rolling pin into a rectangle until you get a rectangle that measures about  5” by 6”. The butter should remain cold yet pliable. This term means that the butter will bend without breaking, but feel cold to the touch. If it breaks, it is too cold.  
2. Hold in the fridge.

Start laminating

1. After dough has risen for 1 hour, lightly flour counter and roll out dough until it measures about 8"x12". Place on a parchment lined 1/2 sheet pan and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
2. Pull butter block out at the same time the dough goes into the freezer. Allow to warm up to the "cold but pliable stage" while dough chills.
3. Remove dough from fridge. Place on the counter and place butter block in the center of your dough. Fold each long side of the dough over the butter so that it meets in the middle. Turn the dough so the seam is running horizontally. Pinch the seams in the middle and sides to fully encase the butter in dough.
4. Roll dough out into a rectangle that is about 3 times as long as it is wide. It is important that the butter be pliable, otherwise it will break through the dough. Fold into thirds like you are folding a letter. This is called a letter fold. Return to cookie sheet and chill for 45 minutes in the refrigerator.
5. Remove dough from freezer and place on counter with seem running horizontally. Roll out to a rectangle that is about 12"x28". Make letter fold. Place on tray and refrigerate for 45 minutes.
6. Remove dough from freezer and place on counter with seem running horizontally. Roll out to a rectangle that is about 12"x28". Make letter fold. Place on tray and refrigerate for 45 minutes.
7. Take your cold dough and roll it out into a large, 12” x 18” rectangle. It should fit fairly perfectly in your 1/2 sheel pan. Freeze for about 30
8. minutes. 

Shaping Croissants

1. Place dough on lightly floured surface. Do not roll anymore. 
2. Using a sharp chef's knife, trim the dough to square off the sides. Reserve scraps.
3. Cut dough in half, so you have two pieces that are 12 x 9. If you kitchen is very warm, considering holding second half in the fridge.
4. Working with the first half, use a ruler to mark off 4 inch increments on one side. Use the ruler to marker off 4 inch increments that are staggered to the first side. So start by marking at 2 inches, then four inches from there, etc. Use a straight edge to cut long triangles that are 4 inches at the base and 9 inches tall. You'll have two 1/2 triangles at each side that you can press together.
5. Cut a 1 inch notch in the center of the bottom edge of the triange. Spread the notch, lightly stretch the triangle length-wise and gently roll the the croissant up. (There is an option to lay some ham and cheese as you roll up) You should end up with 5 "steps". Place on a parchment-lined 1/2 sheet baking pan with the tail tucked under.
6. Cover lightly with greased plastic wrap and let rise for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, until noticiably puffy. 
7. About 30 minutes before rising time is over, preheat oven to 375F. 
8. Make an egg wash by whisking together 1 whole egg, 1 egg yolk and 1 tablespoon milk. Brush lightly but completely onto the croissants. The egg wash will make them both a nice gold brown, and give them that shiney, blistered look characteristic of croissants.
9. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until a deep golden brown.

Shaping Pain au Chocolat

1. Place dough on lightly floured surface. Do not roll anymore.
2. Using a sharp chef's knife, trim the dough to square off the sides. Reserve scraps.
3. Cut dough in half, so you have two pieces that are 12 x 9. If you kitchen is very warm, considering holding second half in the fridge.
4. Cut dough in half, vertically, to make two 6"x9" rectangles. Cut each rectangles to make six 6"x3" rectangles.
5. With the short end facing you, place a few pieces of chocolate in a line at the edge, roll once, add more chocolate, then roll up so that the seem is slighly tucked in at the bottom. Place on parchment lined baking sheet.
6. Cover lightly with greased plastic wrap and let rise for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, until noticiably puffy.
7. About 30 minutes before rising time is over, preheat oven to 375F.
8. Make an egg wash by whisking together 1 whole egg, 1 egg yolk and 1 tablespoon milk. Brush lightly but completely onto the croissants. The egg wash will make them both a nice gold brown, and give them that shiney, blistered look characteristic of croissants.
9. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until a deep golden brown.

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