Croissant Au Beurre Recipe

Mixing

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and instant yeast. (Keep salt and yeast on opposite sides initially if mixing by hand.)

Warm the milk to about 30–35°C (lukewarm). Add the milk and the cold water to the dry ingredients, then mix on low speed until the ingredients come together into a shaggy dough (about 2–3 minutes).

Add the 50 g room-temperature unsalted butter and continue mixing on medium-low for 6–8 minutes until the dough is smooth, slightly tacky but not sticky. The dough should pass the windowpane test (optional). Do not overheat the dough — final dough temperature should be around 24–26°C (75–79°F).

Shape the dough into a rectangle, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30–45 minutes to relax and chill.

Prepare the butter block

While the dough chills, prepare the butter. Place the 280 g cold butter between two sheets of parchment and pound/roll with a rolling pin into an even rectangle roughly 20 x 15 cm (8 x 6 in), about 1–1.5 cm thick. Keep edges square. The butter should be pliable but still cold; if it becomes too soft, chill briefly.

Enclose butter

On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a rectangle about 40 x 25 cm (16 x 10 in) and about 1–1.5 cm thick. Center the butter block on the lower third of the dough, then fold the top third of dough down over the butter and fold the bottom third up (like a business letter) so the butter is completely enclosed. Seal the edges by pressing gently and roll edges to square if needed. Chill the wrapped package for 20–30 minutes.

Turn and fold (first double/double turn)

Unwrap and place dough seam-side down on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a rectangle about 60 x 25 cm (24 x 10 in). Make a double turn: fold the dough into three layers by bringing the bottom third up and the top third down (single letter fold) — for croissants we typically perform three double turns (book or envelope style can be used). After the first fold, rotate the dough 90°, wrap in plastic, and chill for 30 minutes.

Perform a second double turn: roll to same size, fold into thirds again (or perform a book fold if preferred). Wrap and chill for 30–45 minutes.

Perform a third double turn: roll and fold the same way for the final set of layers. Wrap tightly and chill for at least 1 hour or up to overnight (this helps the butter firm and develops flaky layers).

Roll and cut

After the final chill, place the dough seam-side down and roll into a rectangle roughly 60 x 40 cm (24 x 16 in), about 3–4 mm thick. Trim edges to make straight sides. Cut the rectangle in half lengthwise to make two long strips. On each strip, mark triangles about 12 cm (4.5–5 in) wide at the base and 18 cm (7 in) tall (alternate sizes acceptable). Use a ruler or guide to keep triangles even.

Shape croissants

Take one triangle, make a small slit at the base and gently stretch the base slightly. Starting at the base, roll the triangle toward the tip, keeping a slight tension so layers roll tightly but without squashing. Curve the rolled croissant slightly into a crescent shape. Place on baking sheets lined with parchment, tip tucked under to maintain shape. Repeat for remaining triangles. Leave about 4–5 cm (1.5–2 in) between croissants.

Proofing

Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a damp towel and proof in a warm, humid place (ideally 26–28°C / 79–82°F) until nearly doubled and the croissants are puffy — typically 1.5–3 hours depending on environment. They should be soft and jiggly but not collapsed.

Preheat oven

Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F) conventional or 190°C (375°F) fan-assisted about 20–30 minutes before baking so oven is thoroughly hot.

Egg wash

Whisk together 2 large eggs and 1 tsp water until smooth. Gently brush the tops of proofed croissants with egg wash, taking care not to deflate them. Optionally sprinkle a little coarse sugar on top for a slightly sweet shiny finish.

Bake

Place baking sheets in the middle of the preheated oven. Bake for 12–18 minutes until deep golden brown and crisp — rotate trays halfway if your oven bakes unevenly. If croissants are browning too quickly, reduce temperature to 180°C (355°F) and continue until done.

Remove from oven and transfer to wire racks to cool slightly. Croissants are best eaten the same day, fresh and slightly warm.

Store leftovers loosely covered at room temperature for up to 1 day. For longer storage, freeze fully cooled croissants in a single layer, then transfer to an airtight bag for up to 1 month. Reheat from frozen in a 160°C (320°F) oven for 10–15 minutes until warmed through and crisp.