Flaky, golden layers of laminated dough — worth every fold.
| Prep | Cook | Rest/Proof | Total | Yield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 hr | 18 min | 12–14 hr | ~2 days | 8 croissants |
Difficulty: Hard
Détrempe (dough)
Beurrage (butter block)
Egg wash
In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, salt, sugar, and yeast. Add the cold milk and mix on low speed for 4 minutes, then medium for 5 minutes until a smooth, slightly sticky dough forms. Add the softened butter and mix for 2 more minutes until incorporated. Shape into a flat rectangle, wrap tightly in cling film, and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or overnight.
Place the cold butter between two sheets of baking paper. Pound it with a rolling pin to make it pliable, then shape it into a 15 × 15 cm square. The butter should be cold but flexible — not hard, not soft. Refrigerate until needed.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the détrempe into a rectangle roughly 30 × 16 cm. Place the butter block in the centre. Fold the left and right sides of the dough over the butter so they meet in the middle with no gaps. Pinch the seams to seal.
Roll the dough out to approximately 50 × 20 cm, keeping the edges as straight as possible. Fold the bottom third up and the top third down, like a letter. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Repeat the rolling and letter-folding process two more times, chilling for 1 hour between each fold. Always rotate the dough 90° before rolling so the open edge faces you. After the third fold, refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or overnight).
Roll the laminated dough into a rectangle approximately 56 × 24 cm, about 4 mm thick. Trim the edges cleanly with a sharp knife or pizza wheel. Mark triangles along the length: each base should be 10 cm wide, with the point at the opposite edge. Cut into 8 triangles.
Make a 1 cm snip at the base of each triangle. Gently stretch the triangle to about 25 cm long. Starting from the base, roll the dough up towards the point, tucking the tip underneath. Curve the ends inward slightly to form the crescent shape. Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper, spaced well apart.
Cover loosely with cling film and leave at warm room temperature (24–27 °C) for 1.5–2 hours, until the croissants have roughly doubled in size. They should feel light and jiggly when the tray is gently shaken.
Preheat the oven to 200 °C (fan 180 °C). Mix the egg yolk, milk, and salt and gently brush each croissant with the egg wash. Bake for 16–18 minutes until deep golden brown all over. Cool on the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Best eaten within a few hours of baking.