croissants

I was just about to pull another "this is the one recipe I've been dying to make forever" line on you, when I realized that I just did that.  Oops.  Well, consider this accomplishment one that I can justify patting myself on the shoulder.   

This recipe is the perfect solution for a rainy day, or just some random day that you'd like to devote entirely to baking.  Because these take that long.  And they require an underrated skill that I think all bakers should possess: patience.  But the end result is worth it, and these buttery, flaky little pastries are something that your guests will thank you for. Repeatedly.

Croissants

from Williams Sonoma Essentials of Baking

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

2 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons warm water

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 cup cold whole milk

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup unsalted butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon whole milk

1. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and a pinch of sugar in the warm water.  Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
2. In a bowl, combine the remaining sugar, salt, melted butter, milk, yeast mixture, and ½ cup of the flour, and mix with a wooden spoon until blended.
3. Gradually add the remaining flour ½ cup at a time and mix just until the dough comes together in a sticky mass.
4. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a rectangle about ½ inch thick.  Transfer to a baking sheet, cove r with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until chilled, about 40 minutes.
5. To make the butter package, use a rolling pin to beat the butter on a work surface to flatten it and warm it to about 60 degrees F.  Sprinkle the butter with flour and gently beat the butter with the rolling pin to press the flour into the butter.  Shape the butter into a 6-by-8” rectangle.  If the butter becomes too warm, wrap and refrigerate just until firm but still pliable.
6. Laminate the dough by rolling it out to a 9-by-13” rectangle on a lightly floured surface.  With a short side facing you, place butter on lower half, leaving ½ inch border on all sides.  Fold over the upper half to cover the butter and press edges together to seal.
7. Roll out dough, with a folded side to the left, into a 10-by-24” rectangle.  With a short side facing you, fold the bottom third up, then fold the top third down, as if folding a letter.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 45 minutes.
8. Return chilled dough to lightly floured surface with folded side to the left and repeat the process to make three more turns.  After the final turn, refrigerate the dough for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
9. To form the croissants, roll out the pastry on a lightly floured work surface into a 9-by-18” rectangle.  Cut in half lengthwise, and then cut each half crosswise into four squares, for a total of 8 squares.  Cut each square in half on the diagonal.
10. Lightly butter 2 baking sheets.  Working with one triangle at a time, gently stretch each triangle to about twice its original length.  Then, gently stretch the wide end of the triangle.  Lay the triangle on the work surface with the point facing you.  Place your hands at the top on the wide end and gently roll the pastry toward you.  Just before you get to the end, smear the tip against the work surface with your thumb.  Continue to roll until the tip is on the underside.
11. Place, tip side down, on a prepared pan.  Turn the ends in slightly toward the center.  Repeat with remaining triangles, spacing them about 3” apart.  Place in a warm, draft-free area, cover loosely with a  kitchen towel, and let pastries rise until they double in size, about 1 ½ hours.
12. Position rack in the middle of the oven, and preheat to 425 degrees F.
13. Lightly brush the tops of the pastries with the egg mixture.  Bake pastries one sheet at a time, until golden brown, about 15-18 minutes.
14. Transfer to a wire rack and let ool on the pan.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one day.