Butter Croissants

Technical stages for Butter Croissants :

• Dissolve the sugar and salt in a third of the water. Crumb the yeast in a bowl. Dilute in the remaining water and add the powdered milk.
• Pour the flour in a food processor equipped with a kneading hook.
• Combine the salted and sweet water, then the yeast at low speed.
• As soon as the dough turns soft and sticky but doesn't stick anymore to the sides of the bowl, stop the machine.
• Cover with a wet cloth and let it double in volume in a warm place for 30 minutes.
• Tear the dough using your fists, flipping it violently to expel the gases. Do not overknead.
• Cover with a plastic film and put for 6-8 hours in the fridge. If after an hour the dough rises again, tear it with your fists as before. Meanwhile, flatten gently the butter with a rolling pin into a 12 cm (4,72 inches) square.
• Crush the dough with the fists and shape it into a ball.
• Shape it into a cross, leaving a thicker part of dough in the center.
• Roll out the four extremities of the cross with a rolling pin.
• Put the soft butter in the center.
• Fold the 4 sides on it.
• Stretch the dough lengthwise and brush off the excess flour.
• Turn 1/4 of a turn counterclockwise. Fold in three.
• Wrap the dough with plastic film and let it rest for 20 minutes minimum. Repeat step 13 to 15 twice more, leaving the dough to rest between each time.
• Cut a triangle shape in a piece of cardboard.
• Roll out the dough and cut triangles with the cardboard.
• Roll the croissants. Do not squeeze the dough.
• You can also make pains au chocolat with the same dough by adding a chocolate stick in the middle. You will also need to cut the dough in rectangular shapes.
• Put the croissants on a buttered baking sheet and let them rise in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours. Before baking, glaze with an egg beaten in a little water.
• Bake in a warm oven at 230°C or 446°F for about 15 minutes.