Croissant au beurre

Cook it at home: All-butter croissants

The rule is cold: cold dough, cold butter, cold kitchen. Three single folds (turns) make the layers; a slow warm proof makes them rise. Use European-style butter with 82 percent fat.

Pans and tools

• Rolling pin
• Ruler
• Sharp knife or pizza cutter
• Two sheet pans and parchment
• Pastry brush

You’ll need

• For the dough: 4 cups (500 g) bread flour (or French T45)
• 1/3 cup (60 g) sugar
• 2 tsp (10 g) fine salt
• 2 1/4 tsp (8 g) instant yeast
• 1 cup (240 ml) cold whole milk
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) cold water
• 3 tbsp (40 g) soft unsalted butter
• For laminating: 1 1/4 cups (280 g) cold European-style unsalted butter (82 percent fat)
• 1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp milk, for the egg wash

Steps

1. Day 1: mix the flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Add the milk, water and soft butter and knead 5 minutes, just until smooth. Flatten into a rectangle, wrap and refrigerate overnight.
2. Day 2, morning: put the cold butter between two sheets of parchment and beat it with a rolling pin, then roll it into a 7-inch (18 cm) square. It should be cold but bendable. Chill 15 minutes.
3. Roll the dough into a 10-inch (25 cm) square. Set the butter on it rotated 45 degrees like a diamond, fold the dough corners over to enclose it completely, and pinch the seams.
4. Roll into a long rectangle about 8 by 24 inches (20 by 60 cm). Fold it in thirds like a letter. That's turn one. Wrap and chill 30 minutes.
5. Repeat twice more, turning the dough 90 degrees each time so the open edge faces you, and chilling 30 minutes after each. If butter breaks through or feels soft, chill longer.
6. After the third turn, chill 1 hour. Roll the dough into a rectangle about 9 by 30 inches (23 by 76 cm) and 1/6 inch (4 mm) thick. Trim the edges.
7. Cut into long triangles with a 3 1/2-inch (9 cm) base. Cut a 1/2-inch notch in the middle of each base, stretch the triangle gently, and roll up from the base to the tip without pressing. Set tip side down on parchment-lined sheets.
8. Brush with egg wash and proof in a warm (75 to 80F / 24 to 27C), draft-free spot for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until doubled, jiggly, and the layers are visible. Too warm and the butter melts out.
9. Heat the oven to 400F (200C). Egg wash again and bake 16 to 20 minutes, until deep golden brown. Cool 15 minutes on a rack before eating.

Contains: Wheat, milk, egg.