Ingredient:
500 g (1 lb) strong white flour
½ tsp salt
300 g (10 oz) butter, at room temperature
1×7 g sachet fast-action dried yeast
30 g (1 oz) caster sugar
About 150 ml (1/4 pint) milk
About 150 ml (1/4 pint) very hot water
Sunflower oil, for greasing
Beaten egg, for glazing
Method:
Put the flour and salt into al large bowl, add 60 g (2 oz) of the butter, and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the yeast and sugar.
Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients. Mix the milk and water together, pour into the well, and mix with a wooden spoon until smooth.
Cover the bowl with oiled cling film and chill the dough for 2 hours.
Meanwhile, on a sheet of baking parchment, spread out the remaining butter into a 12×20 cm (5×8 in) rectangle. Cover with another sheet of baking parchment and chill.
Roll out the dough on a floured surface into an 18×35 cm (7×14 in) rectangle, and place the chilled butter on top so that it covers the top two-third of the rectangle.
Fold the bottom third of the dough over the middle third, and fold the top third, with the butter, over the top to form a neat parcel. Seal the edges with the edge of your hand. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
Roll out the dough parcel into an 18×35 cm (7×14) rectangle; fold into 3 as before, and seal the edges. Wrap and chill for a few hours until firm enough to roll and shape.
Shape the croissants. Place on 2 baking trays and leave for about 30 minutes until almost doubled in size.
Lightly brush the croissants with the beaten egg and bake in a preheated oven at 220℃ (200℃ fan, Gas 7) for 12-15 minutes until crisp and golden brown. Leave to cool slightly before serving.
Chocolate croissants
Make the dough. Before rolling the triangles into sausage shapes, sprinkle them with 90 g (3 oz) plain chocolate chips.
500 g (1 lb) strong white flour
½ tsp salt
300 g (10 oz) butter, at room temperature
1×7 g sachet fast-action dried yeast
30 g (1 oz) caster sugar
About 150 ml (1/4 pint) milk
About 150 ml (1/4 pint) very hot water
Sunflower oil, for greasing
Beaten egg, for glazing
Method:
Put the flour and salt into al large bowl, add 60 g (2 oz) of the butter, and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the yeast and sugar.
Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients. Mix the milk and water together, pour into the well, and mix with a wooden spoon until smooth.
Cover the bowl with oiled cling film and chill the dough for 2 hours.
Meanwhile, on a sheet of baking parchment, spread out the remaining butter into a 12×20 cm (5×8 in) rectangle. Cover with another sheet of baking parchment and chill.
Roll out the dough on a floured surface into an 18×35 cm (7×14 in) rectangle, and place the chilled butter on top so that it covers the top two-third of the rectangle.
Fold the bottom third of the dough over the middle third, and fold the top third, with the butter, over the top to form a neat parcel. Seal the edges with the edge of your hand. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
Roll out the dough parcel into an 18×35 cm (7×14) rectangle; fold into 3 as before, and seal the edges. Wrap and chill for a few hours until firm enough to roll and shape.
Shape the croissants. Place on 2 baking trays and leave for about 30 minutes until almost doubled in size.
Lightly brush the croissants with the beaten egg and bake in a preheated oven at 220℃ (200℃ fan, Gas 7) for 12-15 minutes until crisp and golden brown. Leave to cool slightly before serving.
Chocolate croissants
Make the dough. Before rolling the triangles into sausage shapes, sprinkle them with 90 g (3 oz) plain chocolate chips.
