# I want to make croissants



## lonelyfarmgirl (Feb 6, 2005)

You know, like those gas station pastries, that are so flaky and soft and delicious. Or like those on the burger king breakfast sandwiches? They just taste so good! Surely thats not all chemicals is it? How do you make those?


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## oregon woodsmok (Dec 19, 2010)

Roll thin, butter, fold, roll thin, butter, fold, roll thin, butter, fold, repeat, repeat.

The commercial ones are made by machine.

You can get layers faster by buttering and then rolling up jelly roll style and then take your rolling pin and flatten the dough out. Repeat, repeat.


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## Mountain Mick (Sep 10, 2005)

Hi lonelyfarmgirl

I cheat when I make croissants I use store bought puff pastry and cut the sheet in half diagonally and roll the up starting at the widest side and end up with the point end on the out side shape like make croissants and egg wash and bake until golden and serve with whipped crean and jam. or before roll them put a stick shape piece haleznut spread or chocolate or cream cheese or a spicy releish or cream cheese and spicy relish for a savoury croissants, yummo, have fun MM


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## lonelyfarmgirl (Feb 6, 2005)

Is there a particular recipe for the dough that is best to use?


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## MO_cows (Aug 14, 2010)

Maybe on youtube or Netflix you can find Julia Child's episode where she made croissants. Very basic ingredients, it was the rolling it out and adding butter then rolling again, repeat, repeat, repeat that makes the flaky layers. As described by Oregon Woodsmoke.


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## Murray in ME (May 10, 2002)

lonelyfarmgirl said:


> Is there a particular recipe for the dough that is best to use?


Just Google "puff pastry recipes" and you'll get a bunch of them. Most of them probably very similar as puff pastry is a pretty standard recipe. It contains lots of butter which is folded and refolded in the dough several times. The alternating layers of dough and fat are what makes the dough so flaky and what causes it to puff.

Making puff pastry from scratch isn't hard but it does take a while to do it properly. Mostly because of the waiting time between turns (the folding of dough and butter).

I always do as Mountain Mick suggests and use purchased frozen puff pastry anytime I use puff pastry. Many chef's use purchased puff pastry. The quality of the purchased dough is quite good. It's good to know how to make it though. It's a really versatile ingredient.


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## Murray in ME (May 10, 2002)

lonelyfarmgirl said:


> Surely thats not all chemicals is it? How do you make those?


Nope. Just good old fashioned steam. The process of making puff pastry forms a dough with many layers of alternating dough and butter. The standard is around 70 layers. When baked, the layers of butter melt and form steam which forces the layer of dough above it to rise. Croissants are nothing more than rolled up puff pastry.


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## lonelyfarmgirl (Feb 6, 2005)

70 layers? wow! I'll tell you what, with the kind of work it sounds like to make these, if I ever do, boy the recipients better appreciate them! And if they don't, POW! right in the kisser!


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## Murray in ME (May 10, 2002)

lonelyfarmgirl said:


> 70 layers? wow! I'll tell you what, with the kind of work it sounds like to make these, if I ever do, boy the recipients better appreciate them! And if they don't, POW! right in the kisser!


It's really not as hard as I might have made it sound. It just takes a while because you can only fold the dough over a couple of times before having to let it rest in the fridge. Otherwise, it gets too warm and the butter mixes in with the dough. Which is just what you don't want.

As far as the number of layers, I was just estimating the number of layers. Thinking about it now that I'm more awake, the standard is 64 layers. It doesn't take that long though. You start off with 2 layers (butter and dough). Fold it and it becomes 4, then 8, then 16, ect.

If you do take the time to make them and the recipients don't appreciate them...well, the deserve what they get. :thumb:


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## oregon woodsmok (Dec 19, 2010)

The easiest way to make them is to drive to Costco and buy them from their bakery. Costco makes really good Croissants.


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## lonelyfarmgirl (Feb 6, 2005)

So you fold them a few times and let them rest in the fridge, then a few more?
That sounds even suckier! No wonder people buy them instead.


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## Murray in ME (May 10, 2002)

lonelyfarmgirl said:


> So you fold them a few times and let them rest in the fridge, then a few more?
> That sounds even suckier! No wonder people buy them instead.


That's what makes it take a while. It really isn't difficult, it just takes some time. Once you have your puff pastry dough made though, it is incredibly versatile stuff. You can use it to make croissants or any number of sweet or savory items.

Buying the frozen puff pastry dough is really much easier. And you can use it to make some really good croissants. And lots of other tasty things as well. Puff pastry makes the best topping for a pot pie, for example.


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## Mountain Mick (Sep 10, 2005)

Hi lonelyfarmgirl

Here a video on how to make it , is very helpfull, 
http://www.howcast.com/videos/36228-How-To-Make-Puff-Pastry
I made puff from scratch many times as a commercial cook and I takes a long time with lots of 15 mintue rests , Fresh puff is nice, but I use Borg full butter puff pastry, and I love it. MM



lonelyfarmgirl said:


> So you fold them a few times and let them rest in the fridge, then a few more?
> That sounds even suckier! No wonder people buy them instead.


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## RedDirt Cowgirl (Sep 21, 2010)

Making the big fancy-shaped croissants is nice, but once you get the pastry in hand, small single-layer shapes are quicker to bake, and a single fold-over square looks too good if you cut it with a ravioli wheel. Easier to stuff with marzipan, chips, or jam; egg yolk glaze and sanding sugar takes them over the top.


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