Croissants

It might take a long time, but it takes a little effort, and makes up for a great breakfast!

Makes 8 medium-sized croissants:

half cup milk
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon sugar
half teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dry active yeast (one that needs to "activate" in warm water)
1/4 cup warm water

1 1/2 cup flour
130g butter at room temperature to layer

Making the dough:

1) Combine milk, first amount of butter, sugar and salt in a small pot and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.

2) Dissolve the yeast in warm water, let it stand in warm place for about 10 minutes until it forms a foam on top. Then add it to the cooled milk. Add the mixture to the flour and mix with a spoon or a table knife quite vigorously until the dough is well mixed, it would be elastic and sticky.

Place in a bowl, cover with a tea towel and let rise in a warm place until double in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours. Place in refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes.

Tip: Each time you refrigerate the dough, cover securely to keep air out. This prevents the dough from drying out. 
3) Roll the dough on a floured board to form a 0.5cm thick rectangle. Spread the butter over 2/3 of the rectangle closest to you. Fold the unbuttered third over the center third. Then fold the bottom 1/3 over the doubled portion. Swing the dough around a quarter turn. Roll it again into a 1/4-inch thick oblong. Fold again in thirds.Cover the dough and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours or more. 

Tip: It is important to keep the dough cold while working with it. This can be achieved by working fast and rolling the dough on a cool worktop surface.

4) When the dough is chilled, remove from the refrigerator and repeat the folding and turning twice more. 

Making the croissants:

5) Roll the dough to 0.5cm thickness once more. Try and roll it into rectangular shape that will allow for cutting it in two lenghtwise. Then, in a zigzag motion, cut the dough to make triangles. At this point, you can put the filling at the wide side (the base) of each triangle. It can be:

>semi-soft cheese with freshly cut herbs;

>cubes of cooking chocolate (2 cubes per each)

>teaspoonful of jam etc.

Tip: Cut the dough of recipe croissant with a very sharp knife or pizza cutter.

6) Roll each triangle beginning with the wide side, then shape the rolls into crescents (or leave them straight). Place on baking sheets lined with baking paper. Leave enough room for each croissant to double in size. Chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator before baking.
7) Preheat oven to 200C. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 170C and continue to bake another 10-15 minutes.

Resist eating your croissants when they come from the oven. Croissants need time for the layers of dough to settle.  And yes, sometimes jam runs away :)