Hectic....at last..I managed to make this croissant. It took me 3 days to complete this. And worst still the butter keep oozing out from the dough. Very messy and stressful day cos i need to bring the dough in and out from the fridge to prevent the butter melting in our hot climate.
I have to even turn on the air con to make the laminating process easier. I also proof in the air con room so as not to melt the butter too much!!
Recipe adapted from Jane Chew Blog. Thanks to Jane for her kind sharing of this wonderful recipe
Croissant Recipe:adapted from Bourke Street Bakery cookbook
Ingredients:makes 18 croissants
Croissant pre-ferment:
- 100g bread flour (chill)
- 55 ml milk (chill)
- 5g soft brown sugar (chill)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (chill)
- 5g fresh yeast (1g instant yeast)
- 20g unsalted butter, soften
- 392g bread flour (chill)
- 550ml milk (chill)
- 60g soft brown sugar (chill)
- 15g salt (chill)
- 35g fresh yeast (8g instant yeast)
- 500g unsalted butter, for laminating the dough (chill)
- 1 egg,100ml milk,a pinch of salt (put all in a bowl and whisk with a fork until well combined. Set aside until needed).
- To make the pre-ferment, mix all ingredients together in a bowl until it becomes a ball. Knead it for about 10 minutes until becomes elastic and smooth. If using electric mixer, using dough hook and mix on low speed for 3 minutes.
- Put the pre-ferment in a bowl covered with plastic bag and leave at room temperature for 2 hours to ferment. After, store the pre-ferment in the fridge overnight (this can be kept for few days in the fridge).
- To mix the final dough, divide the pre-ferment into 8-10 small pieces, mix it together with all other ingredients, except butter, in a mixing bowl until a dough ball is formed.
- Transfer the dough ball to a bench and knead for 10 - 15 minutes (by hand) until the dough become smooth and elastic, and doesn't tear when streched gently. If using electric mixer, using dough hook, mix on low speed for 3 -4 minutes, followed by high speed for another 2 minutes.
- Put the dough in a bowl covered with plastic bag or cling wrap and refridgerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Before starting the dough laminating (i.e. incorporating butter into the dough) remove the butter from the fridge. Pound the butter with rolling pin between two sheets of baking paper into 20cm flat square (about 1cm thick).
- Take the croissant dough out of the fridge, using a ligthly floured rolling pin, roll the dough out into a rectangle about 20 x 40 cm. Place the butter in the centre of the dough and fold th dough over the top. Seal the edges of the dough together to ensure the butter is completely enclosed in the dough.
- Gently and carefully roll the dough out into a rectangle, about 20 x 90 cm. Fold the rectangle from one long end by 1/3, so the dough is now 20 x 60cm. Folf the other one long end over the top so that the dough is now 20 x 30cm.
- Wrap the dough in a plastic bag and refrigerate for about 20 minutes.
- Take the dough out of the fridge and rotate the dough 90 degree so that the dough will be rolled in opposite direction from previous fold. Repeat this folding and resting process twice more.
- Once the dough has been rolled n folded 3 times and had a final rest in fridge for 20 mins, it is ready to be pinned and shaped into croissants or used to make pan au raisin, pan au chocolate, danishes or praline twists.
- Take the laminated dough out of the fridge and roll it out into a rectangle about 25 x 100cm with 5 -8 mm thick.
- Cut the dough into 18 triangles with 9-cm base and 21-cm height. Stack triangle sheets on baking sheet/papers and chill for 10 minutes.
- Take the chilled triangles out of the fridge and shape into croissants. Gently stretch it out slightly. Strating from the base and roll up towards the tip, pressing the tip of triangle to make the triangle longer. Pull away two corners at the base and roll it towards the tip to secure.
- Place croissants on the tray. Cover loosely with a damp tea-towel. Set aside in a warm room (25-27C) (i proof at air con room ) for 1-2hrs, or until almost doubled in size. Spray the tea towel with water occasionally if it becomes dry.
- Preheat the oven to 240C. Remove tea-towel, brush the top of wach croissant lightly with egg wash and place in the oven. Reduce oven temp to 190C and bake for about 15 mins, or until a deep golden colour. Cool slightly on tray before serving.Am very happy with the result . Very Butteryand very flaky . Look at the below photo oflayers.