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French croissants

In this famous and highly technical recipe from a piece of yeast-based flaky dough we are going to cut and shape ("roll") croissants.

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Last modified on: June 26^th 2019

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For 10 croissants, you will need:

1 1 lb + 10.4 oz Yeast-based flaky dough (for croissants)
2 1.1 oz beaten egg

Change these quantities to make:

5 croissants 10 croissants 20 croissants 30 croissants

Change measures:

Metric

Metric weight Metric volumes

Times for this recipe

Preparation: 44 min.

Resting: 1 hour 30 min.

Cooking: 20 min.

All in all: 2 hours 34 min.

When should you start or finish this recipe?

If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time

To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time

Step by step recipe

Stage 1 - 5 min.

Roll out 1 lb + 10.4 oz Yeast-based flaky dough (for croissants) really cold into a 10 inch (25 cm) wide strip.

The length will depend on the number of croissant you are going to make. Ideally, it should be 0.2 inch (4 mm) thick.

Stage 2

Cutting out

To make the croissants, you need to cut the dough strip across into elongated triangles with a base of 3 inches (8 cm).

There are 2 ways of doing this: either isoceles triangles, as shown here...

Stage 3

...or right-angle triangles as in this diagram.

Choose whichever method you prefer. The right-angle method is traditionally reckoned to be simpler.

Stage 4

I've opted for the isoceles method, but I'm using a template, cut from plastic, to help me.

Stage 5 - 5 min.

Cut the whole strip of dough into triangles. Each triangle should ideally weigh 70 gr.

Note: as with any viennoiseries, cold is your friend. Whenever you feel the dough starting to soften too much, declare a "cooling pause", transfer your triangles onto a baking sheet and leave in the freezer for 15 minutes to firm up.

Stage 6 - 1 min.

There are 2 ways to shape the croissants:

1) "Straight", where the rolled-up croissants are not curved. This is the simpler method.

2) "Curved", where the finished croissants are crescent-shaped, and the dough is cut to achieve this curve. This is a trickier method.

If you wish to make curved croissants, make a 1 inch (2 cm) cut in the middle of the base edge of each triangle.

Stage 7

Shaping straight croissants

Take a triangle of dough and stretch gently lengthways several times. It should increase from 10 inches (25 cm) to about 14 inches

(35 cm) long.

Stage 8

Lay this triangle on the worktop with the short base edge nearest you.

Stretch the two points of this edge gently outwards and begin rolling...

Stage 9

...towards the point...

Stage 10

...until all the dough has been rolled up.

You have just made a straight croissant.

Stage 11

This short video shows how to roll up a straight croissant.

Stage 12

Shaping curved croissants

Take a triangle of dough with a cut in the base edge. Stretch gently lengthways several times until it increases from 10 inches (25 cm) to about 14 inches (35 cm) long.

Stage 13

Lay the dough triangle on the worktop with the short base edge nearest you.

Stretch the two points of this edge outwards (don't worry if the dough begins to tear), making use of the cut to separate the two parts that will form the croissant's "horns". And start to roll...

Stage 14

...towards the point...

Stage 15

...until the dough is fully rolled up.

Stage 16

Take hold of the horns...

Stage 17

And bend these round inwards towards the front.

Fix them in shape by crushing the ends gently with your finger.

Stage 18

You have now made a curved croissant.

Stage 19

This short video shows how to roll up a curved croissant.

Stage 20 - 30 min.

Roll up all the triangles like this and arrange on cooking parchment laid on a baking sheet.

Important: the croissants will swell up a lot during cooking, so leave plenty of space between them.

Stage 21 - 1 hour 30 min.

Glaze the croissants, then leave in a warm place to rise for one hour to an hour and a half.

Stage 22 - 3 min.

Preheat your oven to 390°F (200°C).

Glaze the croissants again.

Stage 23 - 20 min.

Bake for about 20-25 minutes.

Stage 24

Leave to cool, on a wire rack if possible, then enjoy!

Remarks

Nothing need go to waste: any leftover bits of dough can be used to make soured dough for the next time you make croissants. Weigh 100 g, wrap in plastic film (with a label) and freeze until needed.

Keeping: A few hours, no more.

Source: Based on a recipe by master baker Sébastien Ropers of the Pen ar bread bakery.

Nutritional information

	Proteins (gr)	Carbohydrates (gr)	Fats (gr)	Energy value (in k-calories)	Energy value (in k-joules)
Whole recipe	660 250 %	4,310 410 %	2,340 350 %	40,910 2,050 %	171,280 2,050 %
Per 100 g	80 30 %	550 50 %	300 50 %	5,240 260 %	21,960 260 %
Per croissants	70 30 %	430 40 %	230 40 %	4,090 210 %	17,130 210 %

The % figures are calculated in relation to the Recommended Dietary Intake , or RDI of 2,000 k-calories (or 8,400 k-joules) per day for a woman Change to a man

Possible allergens in this recipe: Milk, Egg, Gluten, leaven

How much will it cost?

For 10 croissants : 2.53 €
Per croissants : 0.25 €

Change currency:

Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.

This recipe uses (among others)

Yeast-based flaky dough (for croissants)

You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Croissant dough apples, Boulangère tart tatin with vine nectarines, Baker's apple soles, Raisin breads (pains aux raisins), Pistachio and goji pinwheels, ... See them all 6

Beaten egg

You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Apple Strudel, Angevin plum pâté, Elsa's Comtoise galette, Rustic chicken and mushroom pie, Chicken and mushroom pie, ... See them all 77

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The 2 comments already posted on this recipe

No, unfortunately in that case syrup does not work (at all), you should use beaten eggs.
Posted by yes may 17^th 2020 at 14:40 n° 2
Sometimes croissants have a caramelized layer. Would you get that layer by "glazing" with sugar syrup instead of yolk?
Posted by hmijail may 17^th 2020 at 06:01 n° 1

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