Hot Flaky Rolls Recipe

Mix dry and wet

In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with a paddle, whisk together 3 cups flour, 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp salt and 2 tsp instant yeast. In a small bowl combine 3 tbsp cold milk, 3 tbsp warm water and 1 large egg; beat lightly. Add the wet mixture to the dry and mix on low until the dough just comes together, about 1–2 minutes. Add 3 tbsp cold grated or small-diced butter and continue mixing until incorporated into a shaggy dough, about 1 additional minute. The dough should be cohesive but slightly tacky.

First chill

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, shape into a 6x8-inch rectangle, wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm the dough before lamination.

Prepare butter block

Put 12 tbsp cold butter between two pieces of parchment and pound/roll with a rolling pin into a flat 5x7-inch rectangle about 1/4-inch thick. Keep cold but pliable; refrigerate for 10 minutes if it softens too much.

Laminate — roll, fold, chill

On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a 10x7-inch rectangle. Center the butter block on the lower two-thirds of the dough and fold the top third of dough over the butter, then fold the bottom third up (a letter fold) to encase the butter. Seal edges. Roll the package gently into a 12x7-inch rectangle, then perform a book fold (fold the right third over the middle, then the left third over that) or a simple tri-fold. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes. Repeat rolling to 12x7 and perform a single tri-fold again. Chill 30 minutes. For extra flakiness, repeat a third roll and fold and chill 30 minutes. The dough should be cold and layers visible when slightly pinched.

Final roll and cut

Roll the chilled laminated dough to a 14x9-inch rectangle about 1/8-inch thick. Trim edges into a neat rectangle. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into strips 3 inches wide and then into 6–12 triangles depending on desired mini size. For Ms. Emily style mini-croissants (5 served), cut to yield 12 small triangles and plan to serve 5 per order; alternatively, cut 5 larger triangles if you want precisely 5. To make standard minis, cut 12 triangles (base ~3 inches).

Take each triangle, gently stretch the base a bit with your fingers, then roll from the wide end toward the point, giving a slight curve for the classic croissant shape. Place rolled pieces on a parchment-lined baking sheet with at least 1 inch between. Lightly press the tip under each roll to hold shape. Cover loosely with lightly oiled plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and proof at warm room temperature (75°F/24°C) until puffy and nearly doubled, about 45–60 minutes. If your kitchen is cool, proof 60–90 minutes or place in a slightly warm (turned-off) oven with the oven light on.

Egg wash

Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C) with rack in middle. Whisk 1 large egg with 1 tbsp milk. When rolls are proofed and puffy, gently brush each with egg wash, taking care not to deflate. If desired, sprinkle a little coarse sugar on top for sparkle.

Bake

Bake on the middle rack for 12–15 minutes or until deep golden brown and flaky. Rotate the pan halfway through for even color. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool 5 minutes before serving. For best texture serve warm.

While rolls bake, make the citrus butter. In a small bowl, beat 4 tbsp room-temperature butter with 1 tbsp powdered sugar, 1 tsp orange zest, 1 tsp lemon zest, 1 tsp fresh orange juice and a pinch of salt until light and creamy, about 1–2 minutes with a fork or small whisk. Transfer to a squeeze-able container or small ramekin and refrigerate briefly if it needs to firm slightly; bring back to very soft before serving so it’s easily spreadable.

For each order of Hot Flaky Rolls (Ms. Emily's mini-croissants), serve five warm mini croissants on a plate with a dollop (about 1 tbsp each) of whipped citrus butter and a small ramekin (about 1.5 tbsp) of orange marmalade. Offer butter at room temperature so guests can spread easily. Leftover rolls can be reheated at 300°F (150°C) for 5–7 minutes to refresh flakiness.