
Croissant Dough

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Croissant dough is similar to classic puff pastry dough - butter is folded in the dough to create layers - except that it is also leavened with yeast. You must take care not to let the yeast overferment while you're working with it, or it won't have any life left when youre ready to shape the croissants and let them rise. To avoid this, don't make the dough wait a long time between turns and keep the dough cold as you work with it - this means frequent chilling in the refrigerator. When the dough is finished, it will keep for up to 24 hours refrigerated before it must be shaped and proofed. In fact, 12 to 24 hours in the refrigerator before proofing improves its flavor. One last precaution: Never allow the salt to come in contact with the yeast all at once, or it will kill the yeast. Note: A slightly different method of starting the dough is shown in the photographs. Either method works.
ingredients
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serves: 12
3 1/2 cups flour
1 cup water (barely warm)
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups cold butter
Nutrition Facts
Croissant Dough
Servings Per Recipe: 12
Amount per Serving
Calories: 383
- Total Fat: 28.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 17.8 g
- Trans Fat: 1.1 g
- Cholesterol: 75.7 mg
- Sodium: 437.2 mg
- Total Carbs: 28.1 g
- Dietary Fiber: 1.1 g
- Sugars: 0.1 g
- Protein: 4.3 g
preparation

Stir in the remaining flour, the cream, and salt and knead the mixture for 1 minute. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes.
Knead the mixture by hand for about 10 minutes or with a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook for about 20 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Work the butter with the heel of your hand or the paddle attachment until there are no lumps. Shape the butter into an 8-inch square. Roll the dough out into a 9 by 17-inch rectangle and place the square of butter on one end. Fold over the dough so the butter is encased in a square. Press together the edges of the square to seal in the butter. Press gently on the square with one hand while firming up the other sides to even out the square. Gently hammer on the square of dough with a rolling pin to stretch the dough and the butter in it.
Roll the dough into a 9 by 18-inch rectangle. Fold the rectangle into thirds as though it were a letter. Starting with a narrow end, fold the bottom third up and fold the opposite end down. If the dough is difficult to roll, refrigerate for 30 minutes. When the dough is easy to work, turn it so that the large single fold, like the spine of a book, is on your left, roll it out into another rectangle, about the same size, and fold it in the same way. Make two imprints with your fingers to indicate that it's had two "turns". Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Continue in this way until you have given the dough 4 turns total.
The dough is now ready to roll out for making croissants, pains au chocolat, or Danish pastry.
comments
arlene
May 9, 2012