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I always make croissants but plain only so this one is for a change using my all-time favorite recipe for Puff Pastry
Ingredients for the puff pastry
3&1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup of warm water
1 packet dry yeast
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tbsp of melted butter
1 tsp salt
1&3/4 cups unsalted butter ( 3&1/2 stick or 14 oz )
1 egg plus 1 tbsp of milk for egg wash
For the cinnamon and sugar
2 tbsp ground cinnamon
3 tbsp of light brown sugar
Preparation Method:
1. Activate dry yeast in a bowl mix 1 cup of all-purpose flour with water and yeast, just until the flour is mixed evenly and no crumps, set aside.
2. Making dough, add remaining flour, milk, and melted butter, dry yeast mixture along with salt. Knead the mixture for a minute cover with a paper towel and rest for 20 minutes.
3. Kneading the dough by hand, for 10 minutes this can also be done in a stand mixer with the hook attachment ( on low speed) for 20 minutes. The dough should be uniformly mixed, smooth, and elastic by the time you finish kneading. Wrap in clingfilm refrigerates for 1 hour.
4. Making the butter square – place the cold butter between two pieces of plastic wrap use rolling pin, pound the butter into 8 inches square ( the measurement width is input. )
5. Take the dough out from the fridge on lightly surface, roll the dough into a 9×17 inch rectangle take the square butter, and place gently on the bottom of half of the rectangle. If the butter is too soft put it back to the fridge for a couple of minutes align the dough sides of the butter square so they are even.
6. Making one turn – fold the top of the rectangle of dough over the bottom half, the square should be completely enclosed in the dough, press together the edges of the square to seal. Use your hand to even out the dough in a smooth rectangle.
Roll the square using a rolling pin to stretch the dough and the butter. The dough should be rolled into a 9 x 18-inch rectangle. Next fold the rectangle into 2/3 like letter start with the narrow end and begin folding the dough bottom third upwards middle after, fold the top third down – this is called “Turn”. Chill for 15 minutes in the fridge.
7. The second turn – turn the dough so the single fold of your left, you can picture this if you think of the spine of a book. This should be folded just like the page of the book.
8. Repeat this process until you make a four turn chill in the fridge for 1 hour or better overnight.
9. Place the dough on a floured surface and roll out on a rectangle. Using a ruler and pizza slicer or sharp knife cut the rectangle to make a triangle and then cut a small slit in the middle of the base of the triangle, spread the sugar and cinnamon mixture then roll to make a perfect crescent. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle some sugar-cinnamon on top of croissants bake in preheated oven 180C for 15 minutes.
Prepared, tried and tested by Joy Martin Smyth