How to Make Fluffy, Flaky Croissants At Home

Flaky, delicate, and oh-so buttery, let's include some Parisian pastry goodness in our breakfast this year, shall we? Make way for the croissant, a staple in almost every Austrian household—from where it originates, contrary to popular belief—as well as French and Italian pâtisseries. Crescent-shaped breads are being made since the Renaissance, and crescent-shaped cakes, possibly since antiquity.

They make for a typical continental breakfast item in many European countries and is the perfect recipe to learn just in time for Valentine's Day (do we all remember Jane Adler and Adam Schaffer's croissant-making date in It's Complicated (2009)?). While croissants may be your go-to order in the café down the street, you can now prepare this baked good in your home kitchen—yes, you heard that just about right. 

Sharan Goyal, Founder of Crozzo, a one-stop-shop for authentic, freshly baked croissants, shares his secret recipe with us, just for you. 

 

INGREDIENTS

 

For the Dough:

Refined Wheat Flour - 480g

Active Dry Yeast - 15g

Castor Sugar - 48g

Unsalted Butter - 16g

Sea Salt - 15g

Ice Cold Water 

 

For the Lamination:

Unsalted Butter - 250g

 

INSTRUCTIONS

 

1. To prepare the dough, mix all the ingredients using a stand mixer, at a medium speed for 8-10 minutes (Try to keep the yeast and the salt separate, as far as possible).

2. Proof the mixture for 1 hour in a warm environment *.

3. Prepare the butter for lamination **. Using a sheet of parchment paper, spread the butter in a square shape of roughly 20cm x 20cm, with a thickness of ~4 mm. Keep in the refrigerator for 35-40 minutes. 

4. Take the proofed dough and punch it down to remove air bubbles. Shape it into a rectangular form, roughly 20cm x 40cm. Cover with cling wrap and freeze for 30 minutes. 

5. Using a rolling pin, flatten out the dough and encase it with the prepped butter into a long, thin rectangle-like shape. Then, give it a book fold, cover it with plastic wrap, and freeze for 30 minutes.

6. Using a rolling pin, flatten out the dough into a long rectangular shape and give it a tri-fold. Cover with plastic wrap and place it in the freezer for 30 minutes.

7. Flatten out your twice-laminated dough to a thickness of ~5mm, cut into triangles of 5"x7", and roll it into the shape of a croissant. 

8. Proof in a warm environment for 60-90 minutes.

9. Bake at 180º C for approximately 20 minutes, until golden brown. 

 

*Proofing is the dough's final rise that happens after shaping and just before baking.

**Dough lamination refers to the process of creating multiple, separate layers of dough and fat when making pastry. Under the lamination concept, the dough is wrapped around the fat and then rolled out and folded over on itself many times to create layers of fat and dough.

 

THINGS TO CONSIDER

 

1. When working with laminated dough, an ambient room temperature is required. If you live in a warm place, you will need air conditioning.

2. When proofing, the temperature needs to be just enough to activate the yeast, but not so high that the butter melts.

3. Do not skip putting the dough into the freezer between turns—this will help your butter spread more evenly.

4. If you can get your hands on some bread flour or strong bread flour, go for it. The high gluten content helps with extensibility and elasticity.

5. For extra volume and airiness, consider using a commercially available bread improver at a 0.5% dosage.