Title: Croissants / Variations
Categories: Bread
Yield: 8 Servings
| 1 | pk | YEAST |
| 1/4 | c | WARM WATER (110 DEG F.) |
| 3/4 | c | WARM MILK (110 DEG F.) |
| 1 | tb | SUGAR |
| 1/2 | ts | SALT |
| 1/3 | c | GLUTEN FLOUR |
| 2 1/4 | c | BREAD FLOUR |
| 1/2 | lb | FIRM, UNSALTED BUTTER |
| 1 | | EGG YOLK * |
* EGG YOLK BEATEN WITH 1 TABLESPOON OF MILK *
~----------------------------------------------------------------------* IN
A LARGE BOWL DISSOLVE YEAST IN WARM WATER. STIR IN MILK, SUGAR, SALT AND
GLUTEN FLOUR. GRADUALLY ADD 2 CUPS OF BREAD FLOUR. BEAT WITH HEAVY MIXER
FOR 5 MINUTES ON HIGH SPEED (OR BEAT BY HAND FOR 15 MINUTES) UNTIL DOUGH IS
ELASTIC AND PULLS AWAY FROM SIDES OF BOWL. COVER AND LET RISE FOR 1 1/2
HOURS OR UNTIL DOUBLED IN BULK. SCRAPE DOUGH OUT ONTO A LIGHTLY FLOURED
BAKING SHEET. COVER WITH PLASTIC WRAP AND REFRIGERATE FOR 30 MINUTES.
MEANWHILE, CUT BUTTER STICKS INTO THIN SLICES, PLACE ON WAXED PAPER,
REFRIGERATE UNTIL VERY COLD. SPRINKLE ABOUT 1 TABLESPOON FLOUR ON A COOL
SURFACE. ROLL OUT DOUGH TO FORM A RECTANGLE ABOUT 1/4" THICK. ARRANGE
BUTTER SLICES, SLIGHTLY OVER LAPPING, IN THE CENTER 1/3 OF THE DOUGH. FOLD
EACH EXTENDING SIDE OVER THE BUTTER. ROLL AGAIN TO 3/8" THICKNESS. TURN
DOUGH OVER WHILE ROLLING TO FLOUR SURFACE TO PREVENT STICKING. USE AS
LITTLE FLOUR AS POSSIBLE. FOLD DOUGH IN THIRDS AGAIN TO MAKE A SQUARISH
RECTANGLE. ROLL AND FOLD DOUGH AGAIN THE SAME WAY. WRAP DOUGH IN PLASTIC
WRAP AND REFRIGERATE FOR 30 MINUTES. ROLL AND FOLD 2 MORE TIME, EXACTLY AS
BEFORE, THEN WRAP AND REFRIGERATE FOR 30 MINUTES MORE. ROLL DOUGH INTO A
RECTANGLE 1/8" THICK. CUT INTO TRIANGLES ABOUT 6" AT THE BASE AND 8" LONG.
IF DESIRED, PLACE FILLING IN THE CENTER OF EACH TRIANGLE. ROLL TRIANGLES UP
FROM BASE TO POINT AND PLACE ON 2 UNGREASED BAKING SHEETS. CROISSANTS
SHOULD BE ATLEAST 1 1/2 INCHES APART ALL AROUND. CURVE ENDS INWARD TO FORM
A CRESCENT SHAPE. COVER AND LET RISE FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS (UNTIL VERY PUFFY
AND DOUBLED.) BRUSH EACH CROISSANT WITH EGG YOLK MIXTURE. BAKE AT 400 DEG
F. FOR ABOUT 20 TO 25 MINUTES. VARIATIONS: ALMOND FILLING, IN A BLENDER
WHIRL 1/3 CUP UNBLANCHED ALMONDS UNTIL FINELY GROUND. STIR IN 1/3 CUP ALL
PURPOSE FLOUR AND 1/3 CUP SUGAR. WORK IN 1/3 CUP UNSALTED BUTTER WITH
BLENDER. ADD 1/4 TEASPOON ALMOND EXTRACT. PLACE 1 TABLESPOON MIXTURE IN THE
CENTER OF EACH CROINSSANT BEFORE ROLLING UP. FRUIT FILLING, FILL EACH
CROISSANT WITH 1 TABLESPOON CANNED FRUIT PIE FILLING. BAKE AS DIRECTED AND
SPRINKLE EACH WITH POWDERED SUGAR WHILE STILL HOT.