Croissants

Homemade croissants - Perfect for breakfast.

This is goin to be a very lengthy process. so stay calm:P

Croissant Dough

3 1/2 cups flour
...1 cup barely warm water
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups cold unsalted butter

Method:
In a medium bowl, mix 1 cup of the flour with the water and yeast just until the lumps of flour are broken up. Set the bowl aside and let rise for 1 hour.

Add the remaining flour, salt and knead the mixture for 1 minute. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rest for 20 minutes.

Knead the mixture by hand for 10 minutes. The dough should be smooth and elastic by the time you finish kneading.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and on a lightly floured surface, roll it into a 9 x 17-inch rectangle. Place the square of butter on the bottom half of the rectangle. You can use your hands to align the dough and the sides of the butter square.

Fold the top half of the rectangle of dough down over the bottom half so the square of butter is now enclosed. Press together the edges of the square to seal in the butter. Use your hands to even out the square.

Gently pound the square with a rolling pin to stretch the dough and the butter in it. Roll the dough into a 9 x 18-inch rectangle.

Repeat the process of rolling the dough into a 9 x 18-inch rectangle, then folding the rectangle into thirds by bringing the bottom up and the top down over it. Use your fingers to make two imprints on the dough to keep track of the fact that you've completed two turns.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

On a lightly floured surface, roll each half of the dough into a 6 1/2 x 20-inch rectangle.

Transfer each large rectangle onto one of the prepared baking sheets and refrigerate for about 20 minutes. You want the dough firm, but not brittle.

The next step is to cut the triangles from the dough that will be formed into individual croissants.(Please look at the picture in the blog.)

Begin to roll the triangles to form the croissants by curling the two sides of the triangle on each side of the slit away from each other.

Arrange the croissants on a sheet pan and cover them with plastic wrap to proof.

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Bake for about 35 minutes, or until the croissants are puffed and golden brown