September 2011 Daring Bakers’ Challenge # 56:FRESH, FLUFFY, FRENCH "CROISSANT"

I can't remember the last time that I make "Croissant" it can be half or almost the years ago. So, when I saw that this month challenge is making croissant, well I was afraid that I couldn't do it.

 Because I know that making the croissant need a lot of practice (and patience, something I don't have it, haha). I hate waiting for anything, and I can't turn my attention to other thing when making croissant and I feel like waiting for it all the time, and it's a long time too -*-.
Due to my bad habit, my first batch of the croissant turned out really bad, they look like a butter roll , because I forgot 1 of folding. But I didn't want to end up like this, the problem is there I have to learn about it. I started to read all the books that I have on making the croissant and I came across something that I like from what Francisco J. Migoya writes about the croissant in The Modern Cafe
"....practice is imperative to actually make the perfect croissant. In the bakery you don't only use the recipe; you need to use all of your senses. You need to feel the dough; see it; hear it as it mixes; smell it when it is raw, when it is baking, and when it is done baking; and finally taste it. When you do this hundreds of times, you will understand the croissant completely, and even then you will still continue to learn about it throughout your life as a baker" It made me realize that I will never made better croissant if I can't wait for it, really understand it, and I need a lot of practice too ^^. 
So I made it again, it's a lot better than the first one but I still need hundreds times to be master in making it, haha. This recipe is one of the classic recipe, the amount of the butter is about 51% of the flour weight, when most of the recipe that I made before is using about 80% of the flour weight. I'm surprised that my family love it, they said that eating this one made they feel less guilty (from the fat, haha). 
Note: 
-I didn't follow the shaping method because I use to shape my croissant this way, my croissant is 9x22 cm triangle before rolling. I make double quantity of the original recipe.
-I didn't measure my dough when rolling and folding it too, just roll until it's 6mm thickness.

"The Daring Bakers go retro this month! Thanks to one of our very talented non-blogging members, Sarah, the Daring Bakers were challenged to make Croissants using a recipe from the Queen of French Cooking, none other than Julia Child!"

Recipe Source: Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume Two. Julia Child and Simone Beck.

The result of practicing ^^ 7 Dec 2013

Croissants

Servings: 12 croissants (depend on the size of your croissant)

Ingredients
¼ oz (7 gm) of fresh yeast, or 1¼ teaspoon (6¼ ml/4 gm) of dry-active yeast (about ½ sachet)(I use about 3g of instant yeast)
3 tablespoons (45 ml) warm water (less than 100°F/38°C)
1 teaspoon (5 ml/4½ gm) sugar
1 3/4 cups (225 gm/½ lb) of strong plain flour (about 13% protein)
2 teaspoons (10 ml/9 gm) sugar
1½ teaspoon (7½ ml/9 gm) salt
½ cup (120 ml/¼ pint) milk 
2 tablespoons (30 ml) tasteless oil 
½ cup (120 ml/1 stick/115 gm/¼ lb) chilled, unsalted butter
1 egg, for egg wash

1. Mix the yeast, warm water, and first teaspoon of sugar in a small bowl. Leave aside for the yeast and sugar to dissolve and the yeast to foam up a little.

2. Measure out the other ingredients

3. Heat the milk until tepid (either in the microwave or a saucepan), and dissolve in the salt and remaining sugar

4. Place the flour in a large bowl.

5. Add the oil, yeast mixture, and milk mixture to the flour

6. Mix all the ingredients together using the rubber spatula, just until all the flour is incorporated

7. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and let it rest a minute while you wash out the bowl

8. Knead the dough eight to ten times only. The best way is as Julia Child does it in the video . It’s a little difficult to explain, but essentially involves smacking the dough on the counter (lots of fun if you are mad at someone) and removing it from the counter using the pastry scraper.

9. Place the dough back in the bowl, and place the bowl in the plastic bag.
10. Leave the bowl at approximately 75°F/24°C for three hours, or until the dough has tripled in size.

11. After the dough has tripled in size, remove it gently from the bowl, pulling it away from the sides of the bowl with your fingertips. 
12. Place the dough on a lightly floured board or countertop, and use your hands to press it out into a rectangle about 8 by 12 inches (20cm by 30cm).
13. Fold the dough rectangle in three, like a letter (fold the top third down, and then the bottom third up)

14. Place the dough letter back in the bowl, and the bowl back in the plastic bag. 
15. Leave the dough to rise for another 1.5 hours, or until it has doubled in size. This second rise can be done overnight in the fridge.
16. Place the double-risen dough onto a plate and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Place the plate in the fridge while you prepare the butter. 

17. Once the dough has doubled, it’s time to incorporate the butter
18. Place the block of chilled butter on a chopping board.
19. Using the rolling pin, beat the butter down a little, till it is quite flat.
20. Use the heel of your hand to continue to spread the butter until it is smooth. You want the butter to stay cool, but spread easily.
21. Remove the dough from the fridge and place it on a lightly floured board or counter. Let it rest for a minute or two.
22. Spread the dough using your hands into a rectangle about 14 by 8 inches (35 cm by 20 cm). 
23. Remove the butter from the board, and place it on the top half of the dough rectangle 
24. Spread the butter all across the top two-thirds of the dough rectangle, but keep it ¼ inch (6 mm) across from all the edges.
25. Fold the top third of the dough down, and the bottom third of the dough up.

26. Turn the dough package 90 degrees, so that the top flap is to your right (like a book). 

27. Roll out the dough package (gently, so you don’t push the butter out of the dough) until it is again about 14 by 8 inches (35 cm by 20 cm). 

28. Again, fold the top third down and the bottom third up. 

29. Wrap the dough package in plastic wrap, and place it in the fridge for 2 hours. 

30. After two hours have passed, take the dough out of the fridge and place it again on the lightly floured board or counter.
31. Tap the dough with the rolling pin, to deflate it a little
32. Let the dough rest for 8 to 10 minutes
33. Roll the dough package out till it is 14 by 8 inches (35 cm by 20 cm).
34. Fold in three, as before

35. Turn 90 degrees, and roll out again to 14 by 8 inches (35 cm by 20 cm).
36. Fold in three for the last time, wrap in plastic, and return the dough package to the fridge for two more hours (or overnight, with something heavy on top to stop it from rising)

37. Roll the dough in to 5mm thick. Cut into 9x22 cm triangle.

38. Starting at the wide end, roll the triangle up towards the point, and curve into a crescent shape.
39. Place the unbaked croissant on the baking sheet
40. Repeat the process with the remaining dough, creating 12 croissants in total (if you make the same size as me it will be less).

41. Leave the tray of croissants, covered lightly with plastic wrap, to rise for 1 hour
42. Preheat the oven to very hot 475°F/240°C/gas mark 9.
43. Mix the egg with a teaspoon of water
44. Spread the egg wash across the tops of the croissants. 
45. Put the croissants in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until the tops are browned nicely
46. Take the croissants out of the oven, and place them on a rack to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

September 2011 Daring Bakers’ Challenge # 56:

FRESH, FLUFFY, FRENCH "CROISSANT"

8 Oct 2011
Cracking the croissant code No.1

After making the croissant for DB challenge, I still want to understand the zen of croissant, haha, my 3th attempt on September 2011 Daring Bakers’ Challenge # 56:FRESH, FLUFFY, FRENCH "CROISSANT"