Croissants

The Thanksgiving Dishes series continues today.  Be sure to check out all the recipes to fill your Thanksgiving Table. 

I made croissants once before, last fall. Because there has been so much time in between then and this time making, I forgot how long these take. They aren’t difficult to make, there is just a lot of time involved with the rising, chilling, chilling, chilling, rising and baking. So when you start this have a whole day to do it.

This is one of those foods that I see why you buy the ones in the can. But in my pursuit to have no preservatives in my food, I have to make these myself if I want them. I thought they would go great with beef stew. So I set out to make them on a day I need to make a few other things including lotion bars.

Croissants
1/4 cup water, heated to 105 – 110
1 1/2 Tbsp sugar, divided
1 tsp salt, divided
1 tsp dry active yeast
2 cups flour
2 Tbsp canola oil
1/3 – 1/2 cup milk
1 stick butter, chilled

Combine water, 1/2 Tbsp sugar, 1/4 tsp salt and yeast. Set aside for a few minutes to allow it to foam. In a large bowl, combine flour, remaining sugar and salt. Whisk together. Pour yeast mixture and oil into flour mixture. Combine with a wooden spoon or Kitchenaid mixer paddle. Slowly pour milk in until dough comes together. Remove dough from bowl, place on flour counter. Knead for 5 minutes. (I normally knead in the mixer, this one just doesn’t work well in the mixer. Plus it’s a good arm workout.). Place dough in a greased bowl and cover. I put mine on top of the stove with oven on warm. Let rise for about an 1 1/2 hours or until it has doubled in size.

While dough is rising, take a stick of butter and place between two pieces of plastic wrap. Using your rolling pin, beat the stick until it is soft enough to roll. Roll it out to a 5″ square. Place back in fridge until dough is ready. Remove from bowl, wrap in plastic and place in refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.

Roll dough out into a 10″ diameter circle. Place butter in the center of the dough.

Then fold two opposing sides into the middle so they overlap. Then fold the other two sides in but not quite to the middle.

Roll dough out again so it is 15″ x 5″. Then fold in thirds lengthwise. Wrap in plastic and chill for an hour.

Remove from fridge, roll out to 15″x5″.  Each time you take it out of the fridge and roll it out, you need to give it a quarter turn from the last time.  This will create wonderful layers. Fold in thirds, wrap and refrigerate for another hour.

Remove from fridge, roll out to 15″ x 5″. (You can see the butter through the dough.)

Fold the long ends into the center, then fold in half. Wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Remove from refrigerator, roll out to 15″ x 5″. Fold the long ends into the center, then fold in half. Wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

Remove from refrigerator, roll out to about 24 x 7″. Cut in. Trim edges of remaining dough to be 24″ x 7″. Cut into 6 equal sections then cut diagonally. You will have 12 triangles.  (I think the next time I make these I’m going to cut them into 4 equal sections.  Mine always end up on the short side.) 

In the middle of making these, I went to a wedding.  While there, I told a friend I was making croissants.  She suggested I put chocolate in them.  So on a few of them I did.

Starting at the large end, begin rolling the dough up. Bend the ends toward the middle making a crescent with it.

Place on a parchment lined or greased baking sheet with the tip if the triangle tucked under so they stay rolled. Cover and set on stove with oven on warm to rise for 1 – 2 hours or until doubled.

Preheat oven to 375. In a small bowl, mix together 1 egg yolk and 1 Tbsp water. Gently brush egg was onto croissants. Bake them for 14 – 16 minutes. Serve warm. (I didn’t egg wash them this time.  I’ve been having issues with things getting too dark lately with egg wash.  So I left it off.)

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