posted by Joy 09-14-98 12:41 PM
from the cookbook (Secrets of a Jewish Baker)
* Exported from MasterCook *
Croissants
Recipe By :
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 C Warm Water
2 Pkg Active Dry Yeast
3 Tbsp Sugar
3 Tbsp Skim Dry Milk
5 C Bread Flour
1 Tbsp Salt
Flour -- For Dusting Board
10 Oz Unsalted Butter
1 Egg -- Beaten With 1 T Wate
In a large bowl sprinkle the yeast over the warm water to soften; stir to
dissolve.
Add the sugar, milk powder,
flour and salt.
Mix throughly until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl.
Knead for 5 minutes (either by hand or with heavy duty mixer.)
Do not knead to develop the gluten, this will be done during Rolling In.
Work with plenty of dusting flour as this will be a soft sloppy dough
that will be refrigerated to firm up. a scraper or dough butter held in
one hand while mixing will be very helpful until the dough becomes
cohesive. Turn the dough out onto a well floured pan.
Press out into rectangular shape, cover with oiled plastic wrap or a sheet
of oiled parchment paper, and chill for 45 minutes or more.
Meanwhile, soften the butter just enough to enable it to be
molded.
Press and roll it out between 2 sheets of waxed paper into a rectangle
shape about 1/4" thick; chill.
Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a rectangle about 20"x14".
Brush off excess flour. The butter should
be rolled out 2/3's of the width of the dough, about 13"x12".
Place the butter on top of the dough leaving a 1" border so that the
butter will not run out when rolled.
Fold over the
unbuttered third of the dough. Brush off any excess flour,
then fold the remaining third over the first two folds, just as if
folding a letter into thirds.
Turn the dough 1/4 turn and roll out as before. Always roll the dough
gently from the center out to each end.
If the
dough tears and the butter shows through, patch it by patting together
with a piece of dough or sprinkling with some flour.
Use plenty of dusting flour so that the dough does not stick and tear
up on the bottom. Fold in thirds as above.
Cover on the floured pan and refrigerate to cool for about 45 minutes.
Repeat rolling and folding into thirds 2 more times, letting the dough
rest and refrigerating between each roll if necessary.
When finished rolling you will have 81 alternating layers of butter and
dough.
Place on floured baking pan, brush any excess flour off the top, brush
with oil and vcover with parchment paper or plastic wrap.
The finished dough should be refrigerated overnight.
It can be frozen for as long as a week, then defrosted in the refrigerator
and defrosted overnight for use the next day.
Prepare 3 clean baking sheets.
Cover with greased waxed or parchment paper and roll out dough until
1/8" thick, approximately 20" long and 10" wide.
Trim the dough and cut in half horizontally with a pizza knife. You will
have 2 long strips 5" high. cut the strips into 5" triangles.
Stretch the wide end of each triangle.
Roll out each triangle with the point away from you, lengthening the
croissant and making it wider.
Roll up jelly roll style from the wide base to the tip, stretching the
tip of the triangle slightly while rolling.
Bend into a crescent shape with the tip of the triangle tucked under
and facing the inside of the crescent.
Place on a greased baking pan. Press the tips down with your finger so
that they adhere. Leave space between the croissants to allow them to
expand.
They can be flash frozen at this point, then wrapped for future use
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before proofing.
Cover the crescents and allow them to rise slowly in a dry, warm area
until doubled in size (1-2 hours.) Brush with egg wash.
Bake in 450 oven until evenly browned (15-20 minutes. Make sure bottoms
are well colored. Makes 24-27 croissants.