english croissants

How To Make english croissants

• Step 1
  With spoon, beat butter & 1/4 cup flour til smooth. Lay wax paper out onto a wet cookie sheet. Spread butter/flour mixture into a 12"x6" rectangle on waxed paper. Refrigerate!!
• Step 2
  Heat milk, stir in sugar & salt to dissolve. Cool to lukewarm.
• Step 3
  Check temperature of water, sprinkle with yeast & stir to dissolve. Add milk mixture and the 3 cups of flour, beating with spoon til smooth. Let rise, covered in warm place, free from draft for 1 hour. Then refrigerate overnight.
• Step 4
  Next day, on lightly floured board; roll out dough into a 14"x14" square. Place cold butter mixture on half of dough-remove wax paper, then fold remaining half of dough over the butter; pinching edges to seal. With the fold on your right, use a rolling pin and roll from the center out to form a 20"x8" rectangle.
• Step 5
  Now, start with the short side and fold dough in one third. Fold remaining dough over that to form three layers. Seal edges. Wrap dough in foil and chill 1 hour. After 1 hour, unwrap dough with fold at your left and roll out to 20"x8" again. Fold into thirds, wrap & chill 1/2 hour. Unwrap dough with fold at your left and roll out to 20"x8" again. Fold into thirds, and chill overnight.
• Step 6
  Next day, roll and fold dough two more times being sure to chill 1/2 hour between. Then chill 1 hour before shaping.
• Step 7
  To shape-Cut dough into 4 parts. On lightly floured board, roll each part into a 12" cirlce. Cut each circle into 6 pie shaped wedges. Roll up beginning with wide end. Bring sides together to meet. Place point side down 2" apart on a brown paper bag lined cookie sheet. Repeat with each remaining dough parts.
• Step 8
  Cover and let rise til double-approx. 1 hour. Brush with egg yolk that has been beaten with 1 Tablespoon milk. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Step 9
  Bake at 425 degrees for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake an additional 10 minutes. Cool on rack 10 minutes.
• Step 10
  NOTE: You must follow all the folding steps in order to get the many layers found in a croissant.
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