Hardcore Croissants made easy

Croissants are not that hard to make, as you possibly have made believe.

To make it "even harder", i tried my luck with a sourdough recipe.

But i also add a version with instant dry yeast, for the less "hardcore" bakers.


Why should you make them at all?

-They taste like heaven.

-Because you can...   and you are one of the 1-3% who ever did this.

But that's why you are on instructables, i guess.

The steps in the text have corresponding commented pictures. You can zoom in by clicking on the little [i] on the upper left.
The pictures have been shot with my Sony HX100V. (16MP)

Step 1: Ingredients

The ingredients used, should be easily available. Except maybe unsalted butter in some places of the world.

For the dough  (sourdough version)

460g       of a strong gluten flour
115ml      milk
50g          butter
2              eggs
125ml    of a mild sourdough culture (it's about 50-50% water-flour by volume)
10-15g    of salt (i'm on the 15g side, otherwise i couldn't keep up my blood pressure...)
30g         of sugar
3-5g        of dry instant yeast (half a packet for 500g flour)




The dough should be on the dryer side, even with all the fat in it. This is hard to tell, it's experience.



For the dough  (yeast only version)

500g       of a strong gluten flour
175ml      milk
50g          butter
2              eggs
10-15g    of salt (i'm on the 15g side, otherwise i couldn't keep up my blood pressure...)
30g         of sugar
7g           of dry instant yeast (one packet for 500g of flour)

The dough should be on the dryer side, even with all the fat in it. This is hard to tell, it's experience.



The stretching butter

This is extremely vital for a good result.
Your goal has to be the same consistency of the stretching butter and the dough.
Only this way, you can stretch it together, without getting mad.
My pro baker friends told me so, but they buy it in 10kg units readily made.

250g butter
25g of flour


1 egg yolk and some sweet cream or milk for glazing

Comments

[calyad]

Thank you so much. What a lovely Instructable! I have always viewed pastry-making of this sort as too hard to bother with. You have just made it possible for me.

[Notquitepinoy]

I love croissants, I get them at the store most of the time but I will have to try this method myself... thanks

[mguer133]

absolutely great instructable about a true recipe for making croissant!

[Penolopy Bulnick]

That is one amazing looking croissant!

[scoochmaroo]

Gorgeous! One day I may try my hand at puff pastry dough.