Posted by Gerard on May 14, 1998 at 08:05:37:
In Reply to: Re: Urgent!! Recipe for croissant please posted by Greg Jackson on May 14, 1998 at 07:11:56:
: I got this recipe from a Betty Bossi book, but when I make the croissants they come out like buns, I think it's in the preparation.
: I would very much apreciate a recipe that works. Anyhow, here's mine:
: 500g of Flour
: 1 packet of yeast approx 10g
: 50g Sugar
: 3dl warm milk
: 250g butter or marge
: 50g Epifin (don't know what this is)
: Then knead everything except Epifin and butter, leave in a warm place for 60 min
: knead again and leave in plastic in fridge for an hour
: then mix butter with epifin and spread on a baking tray
: then flatten dough and place on top
: fold dough over and and spread butter on other face then fold over again.
: leave in cool place for 30 min
: then mix 1 egg yolk with 1tbsp water and bruch on croissants before putting into oven
: Could someone please explain to me how to make croissants because I tried this and it did not work!
: Thanks
OK , here we go (again).
Lets use your recipe and make some adjustments.
Forget milk, it makes soggy croissants.
I use fresh yeast only and wouldn't use dry yeast.
Mix dough and DON'T leave in a warm place, chill it immediately.
Also make sure the dough is more firm than the recipe calls for, it should be stiffer than bread dough.Just add extra flour, we use high gluten bread flour.
The ratio of flour to butter is good but you get flaky croissants by using margarine, butter tastes good but comes out like a bun.
So we mix butter and marg 50/50, pound the butter with a rolling pin ,sprinkle with flour so it doesn't stick to the pin. Do it with the butter cold, the marg can be flattened by hand.
Place over half the dough and fold the other half over it.
Roll it out and make a 3 fold (like a letter fold), repeat with a second 3 fold and cover with a plastic bag , leave to chill at LEAST 7 hrs, better overnite. MAke sure the refrigerator is running REAL cold.
NExt day roll them out (no thinner than 1/4 inch), eggwash should be 1 egg and half a cup of water, not eggyolk...thats rubbish.
Brush the rolled croissants and proof with steam , temp of proof is critical, if the buuter starts to melt out they are too warm and most of the flake will be lost. Allow up to one hour for a slow proof, in the oven with just a pilot light and a pot of boiled water for steam is perfect.
The slower the proof the better.
Apparently it didn't work because you didn't make croissant dough, sounds more like parker house rolls.
Get rid of the milk ,or at least go 50/50 milk and water, don't use all butter and make sure you do 2 X 3 folds before leaving it.
It really is important to let it go overnight.
I'll email you a pic of our croissants.
PS, never heard of epinefrin, ignore whatever it is.
Gerard
http//go.boston.com/savoybakery