CROISSANTS

Croissants are the ultimate breakfast pastry — stuffed with chocolate, almonds, raisins or jam, dipped in coffee and sucked within an inch of their life before being gulped down. We never get sick of watching the croissants rise in the oven, as micro-thin layers of dough gently puff and turn golden. The best way to tell if you have made a good croissant is if you end up with all the flaky bits of pastry on the floor when you’re eating it!

MAKES ABOUT 12

100 g (3½ oz) softened butter, plus 450 g (1 lb) cold butter

1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) strong flour

20 g (¾ oz) sea salt

100 g (3½ oz) sugar

80 g (2¾ oz) fresh yeast, or 40 g (1½ oz) active dried yeast (see tip)

1 egg, lightly beaten

It is preferable to start the dough the day before, as it will be easier to roll and turn; the dough also needs to be cold to take the butter.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the 100 g (3½ oz) of softened butter with the flour, salt, sugar, yeast and 550 ml (19 fl oz) of water. Mix to a firm dough, then wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge overnight.

Pull out the dough and roll it out, on a lightly floured bench, into a large square about 2–3 cm (¾–1¼ inches) thick.

Place the 450 g (1 lb) of cold butter between two sheets of baking paper. Using a rolling pin, roll out the butter, to soften it to the same consistency as the dough. Then roll the butter into an even 1 cm (½ inch) sheet.

Incorporate the butter into the dough by placing the sheet of butter on top of the dough, in the centre. Now fold the corners of the dough in, as if making an envelope.

Turn the dough by rolling it out into a long strip about 2–3 cm (¾–1¼ inches) thick, then folding each end into the centre, then folding over again. Turn the dough 90 degrees between each turn, so the dough resembles a book, and the opening is to the right. The end result is a square of dough four layers thick.

You will need to repeat this rolling and turning process three times in total, resting the dough in the fridge for at least 1 hour between each go. Do not attempt to speed up the process by shortening the chilling times, or you’ll end up with an inferior pastry.

Once all the turns are complete, roll the dough to 2.5 mm (¹/₁₆ inch) thick. Now cut the dough into 12 isosceles triangles, 8 cm (3¼ inches) across the base and 20 cm (8 inches) long.

Roll the dough into croissants, working from the base of each triangle, up to the pointy end.

Brush with the beaten egg, then cover and leave to prove in a warm place until slightly risen. This will take as long as it wants, as it will depend on the weather. Don’t get too keen and bake your croissants too soon, or they’ll split in all the wrong places.

Preheat the oven to 170ºC (325ºF/Gas 3). Spread the croissants on two baking trays and bake for 15 minutes, or until they are dark golden and nice and crispy.

CHILLED-OUT TIP

Once rolled and shaped, your unbaked croissants can be frozen until needed. Pull them from the freezer the night before and bake them just before you want to eat them. If you’re planning on freezing the raw croissants, fresh yeast seems to work better than dried yeast as it is less temperamental.

Alrighty then, if you don’t just want plain croissants, try these variations…

ALMOND CROISSANTS

Make a frangipane by melting 80 g (2¾ oz) of butter in a saucepan. Add 80 g (2¾ oz)of almond meal, 80 g (2¾ oz) of icing (confectioners’) sugar, 2 eggs and 40 g (1½ oz) of plain (all-purpose) flour. Give a quick mix until smooth.

Smear the frangipane over the dough triangles, before rolling up and scattering with slivered almonds. Then smear a little more frangipane on top and dip in slivered almonds before proving and baking as before.

CHOCOLATE CROISSANTS

Cut a sheet of croissant dough into rectangles measuring about 10 x 13 cm (4 x 5 inches). Scatter with plenty of your favourite chocolate — such as chocolate melts (buttons) — before rolling the croissants up.

Classically in the industry we use specially made little chocolate sticks for these, but if you have a favourite chocolate or chocolate confectionery, use that instead and it will be the best chocolate croissant you’ve ever had. Prove and bake as before.

PAIN AUX RAISINS

Smear a sheet of croissant dough with frangipane (see the recipe for almond croissants, left) and scatter with slivered almonds, and raisins that have been soaked until plump in water, rum, orange juice or a liquid of your choice.

Roll up the dough like you’re making chelsea buns or pinwheels. Slice into rings about 4 cm (1½ inches) thick. Prove and bake as before.

You can batch these into a cake tin and bake them together, but we find that they are best baked in individual pie moulds.