Dozen Croissants With Butter & Jam Recipe

Mix dry ingredients

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine 8 cups all-purpose flour, 4 tsp instant dry yeast, 1 cup granulated sugar, and 2 tsp fine sea salt. Whisk briefly to distribute ingredients evenly.

Combine wet ingredients

Warm 2 cups whole milk to about 95–100°F (35–38°C). In a separate bowl, whisk together the warm milk, 1 cup softened unsalted butter (cut into pieces), 1 cup warm water (105–115°F), and 2 large eggs until smooth.

Form the dough

With the mixer on low, slowly add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix until all flour is incorporated and a rough dough forms, 3–5 minutes. Increase speed to medium and knead until the dough is smooth and slightly tacky, about 6–8 minutes. The dough should not be sticky — add up to 1–2 tbsp flour if necessary.

Bulk rest (chill)

Shape the dough into a rectangle about 1" thick, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to relax the gluten and chill before laminating. You can chill up to overnight.

Prepare butter block

While dough chills, prepare the cold butter block: place 2 cups cold unsalted butter (cut into pieces) on parchment between two sheets. Using a rolling pin, pound and roll the butter into a neat rectangle roughly 8 x 10 inches and about 1/2" thick. Keep it cold but pliable — chill briefly if it becomes too soft. Lightly dust with 1/4 cup flour to reduce sticking.

Roll out dough

On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a rectangle about 16 x 10 inches and roughly 1/4" thick. Trim edges so they are straight and even.

Enclose butter

Place the butter block centered on the lower two-thirds of the dough rectangle. Fold the top third of dough over the butter, then fold the bottom third up over that (a letter fold), fully enclosing the butter with dough edges sealed. Turn the dough so the short edge is facing you.

First fold and chill

Roll the enclosed dough gently to 16 x 10 inches again (do not press too hard to avoid squeezing butter out). Perform a book fold (fold short ends to the center then fold in half) or a simple tri-fold depending on preference. Wrap in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for 30–45 minutes until firm.

Second and third folds

Repeat rolling to 16 x 10 inches and perform a second fold (same method), then chill 30–45 minutes. Repeat a third time. After the third fold, chill the dough for at least 1 hour or up to overnight. This creates the flaky layers.

Roll and cut

When chilled and firm, roll the laminated dough to about 1/8" thick into a rectangle approximately 24 x 16 inches. Trim edges to make straight sides. Cut the dough into 12 even triangles: divide lengthwise into 3 strips (8" wide each) and then cut each strip into 4 triangles by cutting diagonally.

Shape croissants

Take each triangle and, starting at the wide base, make a small lengthwise slit in the center (about 1/2"). Gently stretch the triangle from base to tip, place the base over the slit, and roll toward the tip, stretching slightly to create tension. Place croissants on parchment-lined baking sheets with the tip tucked under. Leave at least 2" between each for proofing.

Final proof

Cover the croissants loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Proof at 75–80°F (24–27°C) for 90–120 minutes, or until croissants have increased about 1.5–2x in size and feel puffy. Alternatively, proof in the refrigerator overnight for 8–12 hours for a slower fermentation and more flavor.

Prepare egg wash

Whisk together 1 large egg and 1 tbs cold water until smooth. Lightly brush the tops of proofed croissants with the egg wash using a pastry brush, avoiding pooling on the sides or between layers.

Bake

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Bake croissants, one sheet at a time on the middle rack, for 12–16 minutes or until deeply golden brown and fully puffed. Rotate the pan halfway through baking for even color. If the bottoms brown too quickly, move the rack up one position or lower oven to 375°F (190°C) and extend bake time by 2–4 minutes.

Cool

Remove croissants to a wire rack and allow to cool 15–20 minutes before serving. This resting time lets interior layers set and prevents jam from steaming the pastry.

Serve with butter & jam

Arrange a dozen warm or room-temperature croissants on a platter. Serve with 1/2 cup room-temperature unsalted butter and 2 cups raspberry jam in bowls for spreading. Optionally dust croissants lightly with 2 tbs powdered sugar for presentation.