15 g/1/2 oz
fresh yeast or 1 1/2 teaspoons fast-action dried yeast
125 ml/4 fl oz warm water mixed with 125
ml/4 fl oz
warm milk
125 g/4
oz butter
1 egg, beaten with a little milk
Method:
Sift
the flour and salt into a warmed bowl. Add the sugar. Blend the
yeast and a little of the warm liquid in a small bowl then stir into
the flour with the remaining liquid. Mix to
a fairly stiff dough and knead lightly on a floured
surface for 8 minutes or until smooth.
Place in a greased bowl,
cover with a damp cloth and leave to rise in a warm place until it
has doubled in bulk. Turn out and knead the dough on a floured
surface until smooth.
Roll out the dough
into a rectangle measuring about 50 x 20 cm/20 x 8 inches. Divide the butter into 3 and dot one portion of
butter over two-thirds of the dough.
Fold the dough into 3, bringing the bottom,
unbuttered third up and folding the top third over
the top of it. Give
the dough a quarter turn and seal the folded edges
with the rolling
pin.
Repeat the process twice more, rolling
out, folding over and turning the dough, using up
the remainder of the butter. Place the dough in an
oiled plastic bag and chill in the' refrigerator for
30 minutes.
Roll out the dough and repeat the rolling, folding
and turning
process, without butter, 3 more times. Replace the
dough in the plastic bag and chill in the
refrigerator for a further 1 hour.
Roll out
the dough on a lightly floured surface to a 50 x 20
cm/20 x 8 inch rectangle, divide in half lengthways
and cut each strip into 10 cm/4 inch squares. Divide
the squares into 2 triangles.
Roll up each one, starting at the longest edge, and rolling
towards the point. Tuck the end under and bend into
a crescent shape.
Arrange on greased and floured
baking sheets, place inside a large oiled plastic
bag and leave for 15-20
minutes.
Brush the croissants with beaten egg and milk and
bake in a preheated oven,
220°C
(425°F), Gas Mark 7, for 15-20 minutes. Serve warm.
Baking Recipes -
Croissants
Recipe
