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Loading...Authentic French croissants made the pur beurre way, where a cold block of high-fat European butter is folded into a yeasted milk dough through repeated single turns. The result is a shatteringly crisp, deeply layered crescent with a tender, buttery interior and a honey-gold crust.
Prep Time75 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time95 mins
Servings8
Yield8 large croissants
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 420 kcalCalories
- 24 gFat
- 15 gSaturated Fat
- 44 gCarbs
- 2 gFiber
- 9 gSugar
- 8 gProtein
- 360 mgSodium
- 120 mgPotassium
- 55 mgCalcium
- 2 mgIron
- 0 mgVitamin C
- 110 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the dough (détrempe)
- 500 g (3½ cups plus 2 tbsp) French Type 55 bread flour
- 55 g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
- 10 g (2 tsp) fine sea salt
- 8 g (2¼ tsp) active dry yeast
- 260 ml (1 cup plus 2 tbsp) cold whole milk
- 1 large egg (about 50 g), cold
- 30 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
For the butter block (beurrage)
- 280 g (1¼ cups) European-style high-fat butter (84% fat), cold but pliable, shaped into a 20 cm (8 in) square
For the egg wash and finishing
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp whole milk
- Pinch of fine salt
- 2 tbsp pearl sugar, optional
Directions
- Whisk the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the cold milk, egg, and softened butter and mix with the dough hook on low for 3 minutes, then medium for 4 to 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the bowl. It should register 24 to 26°C (75 to 79°F).
- Shape the dough into a 20 cm (8 in) square, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour to relax the gluten and chill thoroughly.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a 25 by 20 cm (10 by 8 in) rectangle. Place the butter square diagonally in the center and fold the four corners of dough over the butter to enclose it completely, pinching the seams to seal.
- Roll the package out into a 50 by 20 cm (20 by 8 in) rectangle, keeping the edges straight and even. Fold the top third down, then the bottom third up like a business letter to complete the first single turn. Wrap and refrigerate for 45 minutes.
- Repeat the rolling and single-letter fold two more times, chilling 45 minutes between each turn, for a total of three turns. After the final fold, wrap tightly and refrigerate the dough overnight (8 to 12 hours).
- The next day, roll the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 60 by 20 cm (24 by 8 in) rectangle about 4 mm thick. Trim the edges cleanly, then cut into long 10 by 20 cm (4 by 8 in) triangles. Make a 1 cm slit in the base of each triangle and gently stretch the dough.
- Roll each triangle from the base toward the tip, keeping even tension so the point tucks underneath, then curve the ends inward to form a crescent. Place point-side down on parchment-lined sheet trays, spacing them 5 cm apart.
- Cover loosely with lightly oiled plastic and proof at 24 to 26°C (75 to 79°F) for 2 to 2½ hours, until visibly puffy and jiggly when the tray is gently shaken. About 20 minutes before baking, heat the oven to 200°C (400°F) with a rack in the lower third.
- Whisk the egg, milk, and salt for the wash and brush a thin, even coat over each proofed croissant, avoiding the layered sides. Sprinkle with pearl sugar if using. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, rotating the tray once, until deep golden brown and the internal temperature reads 95°C (200°F). Transfer to a rack and cool 15 minutes before serving.
Cook’s Notes
- Keep everything cold: if the butter softens during lamination and starts to ooze, pause and refrigerate the dough for 20 minutes before continuing.
- Use a high-fat European butter such as Isigny, Plaquette, or Président for the best flavor and flakiness; regular 80% butter contains too much water.
- Resist the urge to reroll scraps tightly, as layered edges create the signature honeycomb interior; gentle handling preserves the lamination.
- Proof in a warm, draft-free spot just until the croissants wobble when nudged; over-proofing collapses the layers in the oven.
- Bake on a heavy preheated sheet pan or stone to drive strong bottom heat, which sets the layers before the butter fully melts.
