Homemade Croissants
20 mins cooking time

Homemade Croissants Homemade Croissants

Homemade Croissants

  • 24 hours preparation time
  • 20 mins cooking time
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Method

1

Place the flour, salt, sugar and yeast in a large mixing bowl.

2

Fold the milk into the dough to bring it together. Form into a disc and place in the fridge for 6-8 hours.

3

Take the butter from the fridge 1/2 an hour before you wish to use. Place the block between 2 sheets of baking paper. Once soft, pound it with a rolling pin into an 18cm square about 1/2cm thick. Place back in the fridge.

4

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into an 18cm square. Then from 6cm in, roll each side of the square by an additional 4cm.

5

Place the butter into the centre of the dough and pull each flap over it to encase, tapping with the rolling pin to seal the edges.

6

Roll the dough out into a 60cm rectangle. The dough is now ready for its first fold.

7

Fold by bringing the top of the rectangle down by a third and then fold the bottom flap over the top flap.

8

Cover the dough and leave to rest for 45 minutes in the fridge.

9

Take the dough and roll it again into a 60cm rectangle and repeat the folds (top 1/3 down, bottom over top) cover and place in the fridge for another 45 minutes.

10

Repeat this process one more time (3 folds in total), cover and chill for 2 hours.

11

Now the croissants are ready to shape. Roll the dough out to a rectangle about 60cm x 30cm and 1/2cm thick. Cut 12 equal triangles. In the centre of the bottom of them, make a small incision about 1cm. Gently stretch each triangle lengthways to give you an extra 3-4cm and then roll them up making sure the point is underneath. Place them on a lined baking tray.

12

Brush with beaten egg and cover with cling film. Leave in the fridge for 3 hours until doubled in size.

13

Preheat the oven to 210c/190c fan/gas 6/400f/375f fan.

14

Bake for 12-15 minutes until risen and golden. Cool and serve warm with extra Lurpak® and a conserve of your choice.

TIP

The croissants can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

Everything about Croissants

  • Croissants originated in Austria as the “Kipferl” but were perfected in France with buttery flaky layers in the 19th Century.

  • Bake your Croissants at 375° F for 12-15 minutes. To reheat, pop them in the oven at 350° F for 5-10 minutes to keep them crispy.

  • Italian croissants (cornetti) are softer and sweeter with a brioche-like texture. French croissants are flakier, buttery, and more savoury, made with pure laminated dough for a crisp exterior.

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Pastry skills, tips and tricks
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PERFECTING PASTRY

Learn how to impress with irresistible layers of perfectly textured pastry.

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Mastering your croissant layers

Let’s make the perfect fresh croissants with a technique called lamination to create those signature layers of flaky dough. We begin with the ‘détrempe’, a yeast-leavened dough, and the ‘Beurrage’, a pliable Lurpak® butter block. You’ll enclose the butter within the dough, roll it out and fold. Typically, you will create 27 layers, though you can add more folds to make up to 81 layers - now that would be flaky indeed! It is important to chill the dough between layers to keep your butter from melting. Get this step right and your croissants will be perfectly puffed, golden and buttery.

The crescent shape of the croissant

If you are following tradition, you would shape your croissant in a crescent (which is a direct translation in France) but here’s a twist, not all croissants today are shaped like this! Lots of bakers actually make their croissants straight to show they have used real butter whereas crescent-shaped croissants can indicate margarine was used instead.

Filling your croissant with flavours

Pastry lovers, here’s where you can get creative with your croissants! There are plenty of ways to add flavour to your bake, you could try adding citrus zest or vanilla for an easy subtle twist. Or if you’re wanting something richer, why not try folding in chocolate, spreads, or almond cream to your butter before rolling the mixture out. Feel free to experiment with your fillings – from savoury prosciutto and cheese to sweet fruit compote, the key is balancing bold flavours with your homemade buttery, flaky croissant rolls.

COOK, BAKE AND SPREAD WITH

Lurpak® Unsalted Butter

Unsalted Butter
With Lurpak® by your side you’re always ready to cook, bake and fry up wonders, cook. With its delicate taste, Lurpak® Unsalted Butter enhances the flavour of whatever food you add it to. From a hearty risotto dish, your weekend baking creations, to some simple earthy mushrooms, its subtle notes complement every creation you rustle up in the kitchen. For people who love Good Food, Lurpak® makes it even better. Now sleeves up. Today we cook bold.
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