Croissants

Mastering the art of croissant making takes patience. If you have several hours of pottering around the house, consider making a batch of homemade croissants. They are suitable for freezing, and can be easily thawed and baked on those days that you crave a splendid treat.

I adapted a recipe from foodbeam, using whole wheat flour. Just ensure that you cut long, narrow triangles that can be rolled into many layers for a more aesthetically-pleasing appearance and palate-pleasing flakiness. If you have dark chocolate, you can also opt to make pain au chocolat.

Croissants

Yield: 20

The Détrempe:

1000g Whole Wheat Flour
80g Butter, at room temperature
2 tbsp Powdered milk
150g Granulated Sugar
one Tbsp Fleur de Sel
450g Water, plus more if flour is not incorporating easily into a dough
25g Fresh Yeast

180g Butter, at room temperature

For the glaze:

1 Egg White, beaten

Make the détrempe by mixing the flour, butter, powdered milk, sugar, fleur de sel and water together until a dough forms. Knead in the crumbled yeast, then keep on working the dough until very smooth. Place in a large bowl and allow to proof at room temperature for a couple of hours, or until just doubled in size.

Punch down the dough, then roll into a 60x40cm rectangle. Spread the butter onto the far left two thirds. Fold the right end (butterless part) over the middle part, then do the same with the left part. You should have a 'book' with the spine on the left. Cover with plastic wrap and chill.

Next make a tour double, with an hour-long refrigeration. Make another tour double, and chill again.

Finally, give the dough a tour simple before rolling out into two 80x25cm rectangles (1/2cm thick), and cutting out long, narrow triangles. Make sure the triangles weigh around 180g before shaping them into neat croissant.

Proof the croissants at room temperature until doubled in size and glaze by gently brushing a beaten egg white all over the dough. Bake in a preheated 180°C oven for 30 minutes, until golden.