Cooking is a great comfort to me, and enjoy sharing the fruits of my labor with others, especially bringing my delights to work with me. During our European travels, my husband and love to experience new culinary pleasures. We are starting to create a rough itinerary for our next travel adventure in June of 2008. Where will it be France,Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Japan? Wherever we end up, I am not certain as of yet; I will enjoy or journey, here is a beloved croissant recipe reminiscent of a French bistro:
CROISSANTS
1 1/2 cups cold butter
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 package active dry yeast
1 1/4 cups milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/4-1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg
1 tablespoon water or milk
METHOD
Cut butter into 1/2-inch-thick slices. In a medium mixing bowl stir butter slices into the 3 cups flour till slices are coated and separated. Chill butter mixture while preparing the dough.
For dough, in a large mixing bowl stir together 1 1/2 cups flour and the yeast; set aside. In a medium saucepan heat and stir the milk, sugar, and salt till warm (120 to 130 degrees F.). Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture. Add 1 egg. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the chilled flour-butter mixture till the flour is well moistened (the butter will remain in large pieces).
Sprinkle a pastry board or pastry cloth with 1/4 cup flour. Turn the dough out onto the floured surface. With floured hands, gently knead the dough for 8 strokes. With a well-floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a 21×12-inch rectangle. (If necessary, sprinkle the surface of the dough with up to 1/4 cup flour to prevent sticking.) Fold dough crosswise into thirds to form a 12×7-inch rectangle. Loosely wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 1 to 1 1/2 hours in the refrigerator or 20 to 30 minutes in the freezer, or till dough is firm but not excessively stiff.
On a well-floured surface, roll dough into a 21×12-inch rectangle. Fold dough crosswise into thirds again and give dough a quarter-turn. Roll, fold, and turn twice more, flouring the surface as needed. (It is not necessary to chill dough between each rolling.) Place dough in a plastic bag. Seal bag, leaving room for the dough to expand. Chill dough for 4 to 24 hours.
To shape, cut dough crosswise into fourths. Wrap and return 3 portions to the refrigerator till ready to use. On a lightly floured surface, roll the fourth portion of dough into a 16×8-inch rectangle. Cut the rectangle crosswise in half to form 2 squares. Then cut each square diagonally in half to form 2 triangles. (You will have 4 triangles total from each rectangle.) Loosely roll up each triangle, starting from an 8-inch side and rolling toward the opposite point.
Repeat shaping with the remaining 3 portions of dough. Place croissants 4 inches apart on 2 ungreased large baking sheets, points down. Curve the ends to form crescent shapes. Cover and let rise in a warm place till nearly double (about 1 hour).
In a small mixing bowl beat 1 egg and 1 tablespoon water or milk. Lightly brush the egg mixture over croissants. Bake in a preheated 375° oven for about 15 minutes, or till golden brown. Remove from baking sheets; cool on a wire rack. Enjoy! Fill them with chocolate, Nutella (my favorite), raspberry preserves and butter or whatever else you may enjoy.
Recipe compliments of Cooking.com
You are inspiring! I dont even make croissants… so much work, but they are so yummy. I’m going to post soon a recipe on how to make Nutella!