For the dough
- 500 g all-purpose flour
- 140 ml cold water
- 140 ml cold whole milk
- 55 g sugar
- 40 g unsalted butter, soft
- 11 g instant yeast
- 12 g fine salt
Butter layer
- 280 g dry European butter
Egg wash
- 1 whole egg
- 1 tbsp water
There is no finer demonstration of French baking than the butter croissant. These flaky, layered viennoiseries demand patience, precision, and butter of the highest quality. The key lies in the lamination: butter folded through a series of turns, creating hundreds of distinct layers. Keep everything cold.
Method
Day 1 — The dough
- Combine flour, water, milk, sugar, butter, yeast, and salt in a stand mixer. Mix on low 3 min, then medium 5 min until smooth and slightly elastic but not fully developed.
- Shape into a flat rectangle about 2 cm thick, wrap tightly, refrigerate overnight (8–12 h).
Day 2 — Butter block
- Beat cold butter between two sheets of parchment paper into a 15 cm square, 1 cm thick. It should be pliable but still cold — the same temperature as the dough.
Lamination
- Roll dough to 25 × 40 cm. Place butter block in the centre, fold dough over like an envelope, seal edges.
- Rotate 90°. Roll to 20 × 60 cm. Fold in thirds (letter fold). This is turn 1. Wrap, refrigerate 30 min.
- Repeat for turns 2 and 3, chilling 30 min between each. After the final turn, rest at least 1 h.
Shaping
- Roll laminated dough to 40 × 110 cm, 4 mm thick. Cut 12 isosceles triangles (10 cm base, 20 cm height).
- Score the base 1 cm. Stretch gently from base to tip and roll tightly toward the tip, forming a crescent. Place on lined baking sheets with good spacing.
Proofing & baking
- Proof uncovered at 24 °C for 2–3 h. They should roughly double in size and jiggle visibly when the tray is shaken.
- Preheat oven to 200 °C during the last 30 min of proofing.
- Brush gently with egg wash. Bake 15–20 min until deep golden brown.
- Cool on a rack for at least 10 min before eating.
Background
Temperature is everything. Ideally work in a kitchen at 20°C — above 23°C it becomes very difficult to keep the butter from melting into the dough. The friction from mixing also heats the dough, so chill the mixer bowl and all ingredients beforehand. The détrempe should not exceed 26°C.
Flour matters more than most people think. Aim for a high-protein flour (13–15% protein), ideally a blend of 30% T45 and 70% T55. The T45 gives structure and lift; the T55 contributes tenderness and a softer crumb. The gluten network must be developed enough during mixing — insufficient gluten is the main reason for dense, brioche-like layers.
Butter quality is non-negotiable. Use a proper tourage butter (beurre de tourage), or at minimum an AOP Poitou-Charentes. Never freeze the butter block for more than 15 minutes or it risks shattering and marbling through the dough rather than forming clean layers.
When the dough springs back and resists rolling, the gluten is not relaxed enough. Do not force it — rest it in the fridge until it becomes pliable again. Rushing the rests is the most common way to break the butter layers.
For a beautiful egg wash: mix 300g egg yolk with 30g heavy cream. The cream tempers the yolk, preventing an overly cracked shell and giving a deeper, more even colour. Apply only to the top layer — brushing the cut sides risks gluing the layers together and blocking the rise.
Mistakes I've Made
- Butter too warm during lamination. The butter integrates into the dough instead of staying as a distinct layer. Result: dense, brioche-like texture with no visible feuilletage. Return everything to the fridge the moment you feel the dough softening.
- Gluten network not developed enough. If the réseau glutineux is too weak, the layers don't hold and the croissant bakes dense. Always check elasticity before moving to the pointage.
- Too many folds or rests too long. Both over-folding and leaving the laminated dough resting too long let the butter integrate — same result as working warm.
- Dough springing back when rolling. Means the gluten hasn't relaxed. Don't force it — rest in the fridge, not at room temperature.
- Over-proofing. Croissants that have gone too far will collapse in the oven. They should jiggle when the tray is shaken, and have grown to about 2/3 of their expected final volume — not fully doubled.
- Egg wash on the cut sides. Seals the layers and prevents proper lift. Apply only to the top surface.
Sources
- Pâte à Croissant | CAP —
- Détails techniques pointus —
- Conservation de la levure fraîche —