Croissant, the pleasure of breakfast

WAKE UP: Croissant, the pleasure of breakfast

Croissants, in Italy often also called cornetti (small horns) or incorrectly referred to as brioche, are the classic breakfast treat for many of us.

Often filled with cream, chocolate, or jam, and accompanied by a good glass of fresh orange juice, a coffee, or a cappuccino, they are the ultimate “comfort food” for many Italians: soft crescent-shaped delights with a golden, crispy exterior and a fluffy, flaky, and fragrant texture, served at bars and bakeries throughout Italy.

The legend says that the croissant was invented in Vienna, in celebration of the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in 1683… (interested? keep reading here).

WANT TO TRY MAKING THEM?

If you have some time to spare and are passionate about pastry-making, there’s no reason to skip making delicious homemade croissants, instead of going to a café where they often serve frozen industrial products that are simply thawed and reheated.

To make them, you need a few basic ingredients: flour, yeast (either baker’s yeast or sourdough), butter, eggs, salt, sugar, milk, and flavorings (vanilla, grated orange and/or lemon zest). The flour you choose should be strong, and if you can't find it, it's preferable to add some "manitoba" flour (want to learn more about flour? click here), which has a higher gluten content than regular flour and gives better results. A simpler alternative for preparing the dough is to use our Butter Croissant Mix, which already contains the right kind of flour, eggs, butter, milk (the latter three in powder form), sugar, salt, and flavorings.

It’s also important to know that the working times are quite long, considering the preparation, then the proofing, and finally the baking. The preparation process is of medium-high difficulty, as it involves following a series of specific steps that may not be simple for beginners. Once the dough is made, it needs to be rolled out and laminated with butter in several stages, which we will go over later.

PREPARING THE DOUGH WITH THE TRADITIONAL METHOD

We start the recipe by dissolving the baker’s yeast and sugar in half a glass of lukewarm water, then adding the salt, eggs, and flour, and starting to knead slowly, adding milk (and/or water) as needed, along with a little butter. Standard recipe quantities are listed at the end of the page (there are, of course, many variations, and everyone, so they say, has their own secret!).

If you’re kneading by hand, use a spatula or spoon to help mix everything in a large bowl. Optimal kneading would require a home stand mixer with a dough hook.

The goal is to obtain a smooth, elastic, and soft dough that, when rounded into a ball, should be placed in a bowl covered with a plastic cloth or a slightly damp towel. This begins the first rise, which lasts about 1-2 hours (depending on the room temperature; the higher the temperature, the faster the rise, and vice versa).

Optional Extra Long Kneading: Take the dough out of the bowl, deflate it, place it on a floured surface, and roll it out into a rectangle of about 20×30 cm. Fold the rectangle in thirds, like a letter, then return it to a clean bowl, cover it, and let it rise for a second time. The dough should double in volume (at least 2 hours at a room temperature of 20-22°C).

Another great option: after making the dough and before any rising, place it in a bowl, cover it well with plastic wrap, and refrigerate it (4-6°C) overnight, ready to continue the next morning.

THE LAMINATION

When the dough has risen, it’s time to work with the rolling pin and butter!

Obviously, we’re talking about the butter used for laminating the croissant, not the small amount already in the dough itself. This butter needs to be soft but not too soft, so take it out of the fridge in advance but not too early—it should not be too hard, but also not too soft. With some practice, you’ll learn the right consistency. If you prefer, you can use margarine specifically designed for lamination (and croissants). This is used professionally and is available on our website. If you buy it elsewhere, be careful about the quality: it should not contain hydrogenated fats and should be made with first-quality vegetable fats.

To laminate, first roll the dough out on a floured surface, shaping it into a rectangle with the palm of your hand. Then, roll the butter into a smaller rectangle and place it on top of the dough. Fold the dough around the butter, sealing the edges.

Next, you begin the “folds” (this is the same as with puff pastry, see here). For a classic lamination, do two simple “three-folds.”

A "three-fold" is done like this: start rolling out the dough (with the butter inside) from the same side to lengthen it and flatten it simultaneously. Once it’s about 1.5-2 cm thick, take one edge (from the short side) and fold it over a third of the dough's length. Then fold the other short edge over it to cover the dough completely. This is called a simple fold or a “three-fold.”

After the first “three-fold,” wrap the dough in plastic or film and let it rest in the fridge for about 2 hours so the croissant dough can relax. Then, remove it from the fridge and do another “three-fold” (be sure to rotate the dough 90° and roll it out from the “open” side). Roll it out again to about 1.5-2 cm thick and return it to the fridge, wrapped, for another hour or two.

Note: Doing 2 “three-folds” is the classic method, but some also do one “three-fold” followed by a “four-fold” (double fold). Others roll the dough out with two double folds (in this case, the final lamination of the croissant will be denser).

THE TRIANGLES

At the end of the second resting period in the fridge, it’s time to shape the croissants. This requires some skill, a little precision, and a sharp knife.

Roll out the dough again with a rolling pin to a thickness of about 6-8 mm. Then, cut the dough into triangles (isosceles triangles, for those who love math!) of the desired size, and stretch them slightly.

Starting from the base of the triangle, roll it up towards the point. Place the croissant on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, with the point underneath. Gently curve the two ends to give it the typical crescent shape.

Note: Croissants that you don’t want to bake immediately can be placed in the freezer and taken out when needed, but not beyond about a week, as they will not rise properly after that time.

FINAL TOUCHES

Once all the croissants are placed on the baking sheet so they don't touch, cover them with plastic wrap and let them rise in a warm room until they double in size. At the end of the proofing, the croissants should be light and elastic when gently pressed with your fingertips.

Before baking, gently brush the surface with beaten egg yolk and bake at 200°C for about 15-20 minutes.

Finally... enjoy your breakfast!

 RECIPE

Here’s the recipe for traditional croissant dough, compared with our Butter Croissant Mix:

As seen, our Butter Croissant Mix offers a much simpler recipe, but it has other advantages. If you’re interested, click here to view the product page.