Don't be flaky (unless you're a croissant)

I just want to start by saying that anyone is capable of making croissants. It just takes a little patience and a good amount of time broken up throughout the day (perfect rainy day activity). But seriously, they are the best and you will be so sad after you eat them all. I hope you join me in the croissant making journey and then get to experience eating them somewhere fun- like on the top of a mountain at sunrise. Hope you enjoy!!

The science for the day is butter! What is butter? Butter is initially made from cream which is milk containing about 15-25% fat. When cream is whipped, the fat globules, or tiny membranes (like water balloons) filled with fat molecules, burst. The fat molecules from all the bursted globules clump together. This continues to happen and the fat clumps separate from the liquid to form butter, leaving behind buttermilk.

In croissants, butter is cut into the flour mixture, so the molecules of flour are coated in fat. This prevents any liquid from absorbing into the flour. In croissants, the lamination process creates alternating layers of dough and fat (butter). As the dough is baked, the butter melts and creates steam. The steam is trapped in the dough and creates air pockets which form the layers of flaky dough. When making croissants, it is important to keep the temperature of the room below the melting point of butter (50-68F) so the butter is not absorbed into the dough before baking. A refrigerator is used in between multiple steps of the croissant making process to ensure a cool temperature of the dough and butter. The fat in butter can also help baked good to stay fresh longer, because the fat of butter prevents the baked good from drying out.

Recipe notes and pictures:

Make the dough with a stand mixer, hand mixer, or your hands if you want a workout kneading! Then plop it on a lightly floured surface, cover the dough and place it in the fridge for 30 minutes. I use a silicon baking mat, but parchment paper on a baking sheet also works great.

Get out your rulers and roll out the dough to a 14 x 10 inch rectangle. The dough will want to be oval, so use your hands to shape it into a rectangle as best as you can. Mine definitely isn't perfect, but close enough! Allow the dough to rest for 4-24 hours.

45 minutes before the dough is ready to come out of the fridge, make the butter layer. This uses an absurd amount of butter, but its what makes the croissants taste so, so good. Spread the butter on another silicon mat or parchment paper in a 7 x 10 inch rectangle. Chill for 30 minutes.

Laminate the dough. What even is laminating? Its the process of folding the dough multiple times to create alternating layers of butter and dough. Place the butter layer in the middle of the dough rectangle then fold either end of the dough over the butter to meet in the middle. Push together the ends of the dough to create a smooth seam. Enclose the butter layer completely by bringing the top and bottom parts of the dough together.

Roll out the butter/dough bundle into a 10 x 20 inch rectangle as seen in the first picture. Then fold the top and bottom in to the middle, like you're folding a pamphlet, to remake the original shape. That was the first fold.

Roll out and fold the dough once more. Before the third roll/fold, place the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes. After the third roll/fold, place the dough in the fridge to rest for 4-24 hours.

Roll out the dough one more time and now its time to shape the croissants. I made these croissants smaller so I could have more of them, so I cut the dough into three equal sections. If you wanted sandwich size croissants, cut the dough into two equal halves. Use a pizza cutter, or a knife.

Then, cut the long strips into 6 equal rectangles and slice each rectangle into two triangles. Slice a small slit in the most narrow slide of the triangle for easier shaping. Look at all those beautiful layers you made!

Gently pull the triangles out to stretch them, but be careful to not squish all the layers together. Roll the triangles from bottom to tip to form a crescent shape and slightly bend the outer edges in. Allow the shaped croissants to rest at room temperature for one hour, then in the fridge for one hour.

Brush with an egg wash (egg + milk) then bake at 400F for 20 minutes, until golden brown.

Enjoy!

Croissant Recipe: (adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction)

okay I know it looks intimidating but you can do it!!

Prep Time: 12 hours

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

For dough:

4 tbsp. butter, softened

4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp. salt

1 tbsp. active dry or instant yeast

1 1/2 cups cold whole milk

Butter layer:

3 sticks unsalted butter, softened

2 tbsp. all-purpose flour

Egg wash:

1 egg

2 tbsp. whole milk

Directions:

1. Cut the butter in four pieces and place in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with dough hook. A handheld mixer can also be used. Add the flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Mix for one minute then slowly pour in the milk while the mixer is still running. Beat the dough on high for five minutes (or knead by hand). The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl- keep mixing if this is not the case.

2. Remove the dough and form it into a ball. Place on a lightly floured silicone baking mat, parchment paper or baking sheet. Flatten the dough out, cover with plastic wrap, and place the baking sheet in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

3. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and shape the dough into a 14x10 inch rectangle. Use a rolling pin (or a glass cup as a rolling pin) and your hands to get the exact measurement. Cover the dough and place back in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight.

4. 45 minutes before the long rest from the above step ends, start the butter layer. Beat the butter and flour together until smooth then transfer to a silicon baking mat or parchment lined baking sheet. Smooth the butter into a 7x10 inch rectangle. Place the baking sheet into the fridge for 30 minutes.

5. Now the dough is ready to be laminated. Remove the dough from the refrigerator, place it on a lightly floured table, and place the butter layer in the center of it. Fold the ends of the dough over the butter to enclose it. Seal the edges of the dough over the butter. Roll the dough into a 10x20 inch rectangle. Use your hands to prevent it from becoming an oval. Once the measurement is right, fold the dough into thirds lengthwise, as if you are folding up a pamphlet.

6. For the second turn, repeat the above process. Roll the dough into a 10x20 inch rectangle then fold it into thirds. Place the dough back on the baking sheet, cover it with plastic and return it to the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

7. Complete the third turn using the same process. Then, return to the baking sheet, cover with plastic and refigeratre for 4 hours or overnight.

8. To shape the croissants, remove the dough from the fridge, place on a lightly floured surface and roll into a 8x20 inch rectangle. Using a pizza cutter, slice the dough into thirds horizontally. Then cut those strips into smaller rectangles. Cut each rectangle diagonally to make two triangles. Cut a small slit at the wide end of each triangle. Work with one triangle at a time to gently stretch it out. Then, tightly roll the dough into a crescent shape and slightly bend the ends in towards on another. Repeat with remaining dough. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest at room temperature for 1 hour, then place in the fridge for 1 hour (up to 12 hours).

9. Preheat oven to 400 degreed F. Whisk the egg and milk together and brush over each croissant.

10. Bake croissants for about 20 minutes until they are golden brown.

You did it!! You deserve a a treat - try putting nutella on a croissant.