My elder son loves Croissants so much, especially plain Croissants and chocolate Croissants are his favourite. If I give Croissants in his Tiffin box, he will be super happy to go to school. So, I always make sure to provide Croissants 2 or 3 times a week, on one of his 2 tiffin boxes.
Croissants are one of the most rewarding and impressive things you can bake at home. Yes, they take time, but every flaky, buttery bite is worth the effort!
This is the ultimate guide to making real, authentic, buttery French croissants—broken down into simple steps.
The Step-by-Step Guide for Homemade French Croissants:
The secret to a perfect croissant is lamination (layering dough and butter) and patience.
Prep Time: The Dough & The Butter Block (Day 1)
This is a two-day project. Day 1 is all about prepping the ingredients so they are ready for layering on Day 2.
Part 1: Make the Dough (Détrempe)
Mix: Combine your yeast and warm water/milk until it foams. Add flour, sugar, and salt, along with some melted, cooled butter. Mix it all just until a shaggy, rough dough forms.
Knead: Knead the dough gently for only about 3–5 minutes until it's smooth. Remember, the folding later will do most of the hard work!
Shape & Chill: Shape the dough into a flat rectangle (about 7 x 10 inches). Wrap it tightly and put it in the freezer overnight. You want it very cold and firm, but still a little pliable. Don't use the fridge—it will make the yeast keep rising too much.
Part 2: Make the Butter Block (Tourrage)
This is the butter that creates the flaky layers. It needs to be cold, but not brittle.
Prep the Butter: Take cold, high-quality unsalted butter. If it feels too hard, you can gently bash it with a rolling pin to make it more pliable (like clay).
Shape: Place the butter between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll it out into a smooth, even rectangle, about 5 x 6.5 inches.
Chill: Keep the butter in the fridge overnight.
Lamination: The Folding Process (Day 2)
This is where the magic happens! You are creating hundreds of butter and dough layers. The key here is to keep everything cold and pliable.
Step 1: Enclose the Butter
Take the dough from the freezer and the butter from the fridge. They should be around the same temperature (cold but bendy).
Place the butter block on one half of the dough rectangle. Fold the other half of the dough over the butter, sealing the edges completely. You have now fully encased the butter in the dough.
Step 2: The First Fold (Double Fold)
Gently roll the dough out into a long rectangle (about 25 inches long).
The Double Fold: This is like folding a letter in four sections. Fold one end toward the center, and the other end right over the top of that, creating four stacked layers.
Rest: Wrap the dough and let it rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour. This lets the gluten relax so you can roll it out again.
Step 3: The Second Fold (Single Fold)
Rotate the dough 90 degrees (so the folded edge is on the side).
Roll the dough out again into a long rectangle (about 15 inches).
The Single Fold: This is like folding a letter in three sections. Fold one end into the center (about one-third of the way), and then fold the other end over the first folded section. You should have three stacked layers.
Final Rest: Wrap the dough and rest it in the fridge for another 1–2 hours or until you are ready to shape.
Shaping and Baking
Step 4: Roll and Cut
Take the dough out and roll it one last time into a very thin sheet (about 0.4–0.5 cm thick).
Trim the edges with a sharp knife (cutting straight down, not dragging) to expose all the layers.
Cut the dough into triangles (a wide base of about 3.5 inches). For classic croissants, make a tiny slit in the middle of the wide base.
Roll: Starting at the wide base, gently but firmly roll the triangle toward the point. Don't roll too tightly.
Step 5: The Final Rise (Proofing)
Place the rolled croissants on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Cover them and let them rise in a warm spot for 1.5 to 2 hours. They should puff up and look soft—they won't quite double in size, but they'll be jiggly. This step is critical!
Step 6: Bake!
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
Brush the croissants with an egg wash (one egg mixed with a splash of milk).
Bake for 15–20 minutes until they are a deep golden brown.
Enjoy your perfect, shatteringly crisp, homemade French croissants! You earned them!
Why This Croissant Recipe is Your Best Bet
Making croissants at home might seem scary, but this recipe is designed to make you feel like a pro!
1. The detailed step-by-step guide helps you simplify the process. You will get to know how each stage in preparing the dough feels at every stage.
2. This recipe is for a small batch, so it's really perfect for home and easier to manage in a regular kitchen. So there are more chances for success.
3. This method is adapted from a Le Cordon Bleu course. So this is more likely a professional method.
4. This recipe is the best for both intermediate bakers looking to level up their skills and for beginners who want to reward themselves.
Important: Read This First!
Don't Stress Over Perfection: First attempt can be a failure, but after a few more attempts you will get the right batch.
No Rushing: Be mindful of the processing time and rest times,, you will get the right batch.
Learn as You Go: The more you make these, the easier it gets.
Croissant Success: The Two Biggest Secrets
The difference between a flaky croissant and a doughy one comes down to two things: Temperature and Pliability.
Temperature: Your dough (détrempe) and your butter block (tourrage) must be chilled. Why? Because if they warm up, the butter melts into the dough, and you lose those crucial separate layers (lamination). No lamination means no flaky layers.
Pliability: Both the butter and the dough need to be cool, but bendy (pliable). If they are too hard, the butter will shatter when you roll it. If they roll out easily while still cold, the separate layers stay intact and create that famous crispness.
Why This Recipe is Perfect for Home Bakers
This Le Cordon Bleu recipe used professional techniques which is perfect for home cooking.
- Home Size: The Original recipe makes over a dozens of croissants, and it requires too much time effort. This recipe version is manageable, which gives a maximum of 5 to 7 croissants.
- Easy to Handle: The small batch of croissants doesn’t requires big kitchen counter or mixer, also it can be get warm up very quickly.
- Better Butter Block: I slightly increased the butter content for the tourrage to make the butter block easier to handle and roll without cracking.
If you need more than six croissants, just make two separate small batches; it's honestly easier than trying to manage one huge, unwieldy piece of dough!
FAQs
1. Why does the recipe take two days?
It’s dough requires an overnight chilling in the freezer. This will enhance the flavour and ensures the the dough is good enough for layering in next day.
2. What is "lamination" and why is it important?
This process helps to create hundreds of layered structures. The signature flaky and airy structure is formed with this step.
3. Should the dough and butter be warm or cold?
Both must be cold, but pliable (bendy). If they get too warm, the butter melts into the dough, which means you lose the separate layers and your croissants won't be flaky.
4. Why is this recipe a "small batch"?
The recipe is adapted for home kitchens! A small batch (5-7 croissants) is easier to handle, doesn't require a huge counter or mixer, and is less likely to warm up too quickly during the rolling and folding stages.
- Chithra Sooraj : Digital Marketing Professional
Reference: https://www.theflavorbender.com/homemade-french-croissants-step-by-step-recipe/
