How to Make Croissants: 5 Recipes

Croissants are especially popular in France. In this country, these pastries are everywhere served with hot coffee or tea. In our region, the recipes also came a long time ago, moreover, they are firmly rooted in various books, they are followed in many coffee shops and restaurants. Because of the demand, most hostesses try to make croissants at home to treat their family and friends.

What is croissants

Croissants are buns of small size, which have a special shape in the form of a month. They contain a filling inside them. From the French language "croissant" is translated as "crescent". This is due to the fact that the pastry has an original shape resembling a moon-shaped cone. This term first appeared in the dictionary in the middle of the 19th century. However, at that time croissant differed from the modern delicacy. The use of puff pastry for its manufacture began only at the beginning of the 20th century.

This pastry has long been a national cultural dish of which the people of France are proud. Almost every Frenchman eats a freshly made croissant for breakfast. Not to mention the fact that this pastry has managed to conquer the whole world. This pastry is a true work of art because it combines a delicate, soft filling and a crispy, golden shell. French confectioners believe that this delicacy should be eaten only when fresh, because it loses its unusual taste after a few hours. That's why in France croissants are sold in the morning, when they are still hot.

There is even an international croissant day. All lovers of this amazing pastry gather on this day. This holiday is celebrated on January 30th.

The classic croissant recipe consists of high-grade wheat flour, water, animal fat, sugar, table salt and yeast. In addition to these basic ingredients, many manufacturers often use various additives to improve flavor, stabilizers, dyes, and other ingredients that give a more attractive appearance to the finished product.

The caloric value of such a delicacy depends only on the ingredients in the product. If the bun contains only dough, compared to croissants with filling, its caloric value will be slightly lower. Speaking of the filling, it is worth noting that in such a flour product are added fruit and berry jams, jam, chocolate, nuts, condensed milk and various creams.

Often unsweetened fillings are used as a croissant filling. Sometimes it can be ham, various meat products, varieties of cheese. As for the classic croissant, which has no filling, its caloric value is about 400 kcal per 100 grams of product.

Types of croissant dough

For making croissants you can use different doughs. In this case, you can use yeast puff pastry, or classic, cottage cheese, puff pastry without added yeast, as well as dough with sourdough. There is also a quick recipe for making flour dough.

There are several subtleties of cooking with their own hands at home. It should be noted that when kneading the puff pastry, from which croissants will be made, it is not recommended to use a mixer or whisk. French cooks believe that a large number of bubbles is harmful for the finished bun. The dough in this case should rise only due to the active action of the yeast.

Another secret of making homemade croissants is the use of butter with a high degree of fat content. A low concentration of fat can spoil the dough, but at the same time you should remember that a high percentage of fat will have a negative effect on the layering of the dough. Bake the treat at 180 degrees, and at the end increase it to 200 degrees. This contributes to the fact that the finished product will form a ruddy crust. To make the croissants crispy, you can apply a whipped mixture of egg white and granulated sugar to their surface a few minutes before they are ready. The egg mixture should be spread thinly with a silicone kitchen brush.

Classic Dough

Presented by the usual puffed yeast product. In this case, no filling is used. To prepare the classic dough, you need to prepare the following ingredients: 300 g of flour, 40 g of sugar, 100 ml of milk, 5 g of salt, 10 g of dry yeast and 200 g of butter.

First you need to sift the flour, and then combine it with sugar, salt and yeast. After that, pour the milk. Now quickly knead the dough. The resulting mixture should be wrapped in clingfilm and placed in a cold place for 7-8 hours. Next, cut the butter into small pieces. Sprinkle a cutting board with flour, then carefully roll out a small piece of butter. Rolled out butter also wrap it in clingfilm and put it in the fridge. Now roll out the cooled flour mass as a thin layer, put the cold butter on it, wrap an envelope and connect the edges. On the surface of the resulting layer walk with a rolling pin, without changing its direction.

The resulting billet also send in a couple of hours in a cold place. Repeat this procedure 4 times. For the fifth time roll out the dough as a thin layer, the thickness should not exceed 0.5 cm. Cover the sheet with clingfilm, roll up into a roll and leave in the fridge overnight. The next day, cut the chilled pastry into triangular pieces and form croissants. If desired, put a filling in each of them. Allow the croissants to stand in a warm place for an hour. Then spread them out on a baking tray and brush them with egg yolk. It takes no more than 20 minutes to cook croissants. The temperature of the device in this case should be 180 degrees.

Quick recipe
You can use a quick recipe for making dough for croissants. Such a variant is prepared in a short time and is more popular among hostesses. Of the components you will need 200 g of flour, 10 g of dry yeast, 150 g of butter, a pinch of salt, 130 ml of milk and 40 g of sugar.

The process of making the dough begins by combining the flour, sugar, yeast and salt. After that, include unmelted butter, which is crushed only with a knife. Next, pour in the milk, after which the dough must be kneaded quickly, so that the butter does not melt. The resulting flour mass send in a cold place for half an hour. At the end of the specified time, roll out a large layer from the base. Now fold the resulting flatbread in half and roll it out again. Then roll up the dough with the other side and roll it out. Repeat all these steps three more times in each direction. If necessary, sprinkle the dough with flour. Wrap the rolled out dough in clingfilm and put it in the cold place. After 6 hours, the base can be rolled out again, cut into pieces, add the filling and roll up the pieces. Bake for no more than 20 minutes at 180 degrees.

Flaky puff pastry

Prepared according to the following recipe. You need to prepare 500 g of flour, a glass of water, 300 g of butter and a pinch of salt. Start the work with the process of sifting the flour. Divide a piece of butter into six equal parts, then melt one part in a steam bath, adding a small amount of boiling water. Combine the melted butter and flour. Now quickly knead the dough. Wrap the resulting flour mass in clingfilm and let it "rest" in a cold place for an hour.

Then divide the infused dough into two parts and roll out in layers. The movements of the rolling pin should be carried out only in one direction. Cover the rolled out dough with clingfilm and place it in a refrigerator for another hour. After that time, dab one sheet of dough with melted butter and cover it with another sheet. Now carefully roll out everything, and then form squares, which later cut into triangular pieces. Next, spread the filling on each triangle. Cover a baking dish with parchment paper. The croissants should rise for half an hour, then send them to an oven heated to 180 degrees. It will take 30 minutes to bake. Before sending the bakery into the oven, you can coat the buns with egg yolk, so that later on a ruddy crust will form. Sprinkle the finished treat with powdered sugar.

Croissants based on cottage cheese dough

Distinguished by a delicate structure. To prepare such a flour base you will need 250 g of cottage cheese, a bag of vanilla, 200 g of flour, 0.5 tsp of baking soda, 4 tbsp of vegetable oil and 2 tbsp of sugar.

Start the process of preparing the French delicacy by mashing the cottage cheese. Then mix the milk product with sugar, butter and vanilla. Here add the flour and baking soda. After that, knead the dough, which as a result should turn out elastic. Now place the dough piece for buns in a bag and send it to "rest" for half an hour. After 30 minutes, roll out the dough, and then cut into small triangles. On the wide side of each piece put the filling. If the jam is liquid, you can use a small amount of starch to get a thicker consistency.

Place the finished products on a baking sheet lined with parchment. You can also simply grease the form with butter. Next, send the crockery to the oven heated to 180 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Dough on sourdough

Another simple way of obtaining a French dessert is based on obtaining them by using a dough on sourdough. To prepare it you'll need 500 grams of flour, a bag of vanilla, 100 grams of granulated sugar, 250 grams of sourdough, which has a humidity of 100 percent, 350 grams of butter, 1 tbsp. salt, two egg yolks, 20 grams of powdered milk and a glass of water.

First, mix the water with the sourdough until the second ingredient has completely dissolved. Then add flour and knead the dough. Let it rest for half an hour under a plastic sheet. After the specified period, include 50 g of butter in the flour mass, after which the mixture should be placed in a cold place for a couple of hours, having put it in a bag beforehand. Roll out the remaining butter and put it between sheets of parchment paper.

After two hours, roll out the dough as a sheet, put the rolled out butter on it, roll everything in half, press down slightly to eliminate air bubbles, and then pinch the edges. The resulting flatbread should be rolled out into a sheet 15 mm thick. After that, roll it up again and roll it out.

Repeat this procedure one more time. Allow the pastry to cool for another 2 hours. After that, roll out the dough layer twice more, each time going to the refrigerator. Then it remains to thinly cut the dough into small triangular pieces and roll up blanks for croissants. Now place the flour products evenly in a baking form, the bottom of which is covered with parchment. The rolls should rise for another 40-60 minutes. Next, brush them with whipped egg yolks and lightly sprinkle with sugar. Send the tray to the oven for 5 minutes at 200 degrees, then lower it to 180 degrees. Further cooking will take another 10 minutes.

Recommendations for making croissants

As already mentioned, it is necessary to use butter to make the dough. Therefore, it is very important to buy homemade products. At the same time, margarine should not be used. This can lead to the fact that the dough will not turn out as tasty as you would like. It is also important to remember that the amount of butter and flour are taken in almost equal proportions.

Puff pastry for croissants is important to prepare without unnecessary fuss, otherwise the dessert will not turn out. It is necessary to adhere to the recommendations of a certain recipe and do not rush anywhere. It is also worth noting that during the preparation of puff pastry, the temperature of the room should be low. It is recommended to use a drier filling, so that the dough is not weighted down.

Making French bagels with your own hands at home is quite simple. All you need to do is to treat this process responsibly.

Useful and harmful properties of croissants

For the Stomach

If we compare the French pastry with other bakery products, this product is perceived by the stomach not so hard. It takes the gastrointestinal tract no more than an hour and a half to digest croissants.

It is considered fashionable to eat croissants with coffee. It is scientifically proved that such a treat helps to reduce the irritant effect of this drink on the mucous membrane of the stomach. This means that the risk of heartburn is reduced. As for the flour product with jam, such a variant is a dangerous product for the pancreas.

It is not possible to make croissants from flour without gluten. And this substance is known to have an enveloping, anti-inflammatory and regenerating effect on the stomach.

Hot, freshly baked croissants are the most delicious. But nutritionists warn that even with yeast-free dough, hot baked goods are difficult for the digestive system to absorb. There are simply not enough enzymes to digest such a delicacy. Frequent consumption of such a flour product is dangerous for the development of gastritis.

When losing weight

As noted above, in 100 g of such a French delicacy is concentrated about 400 kcal. If a classic recipe is used to prepare croissants, the main nutritional value in this case is formed by the wheat flour of the highest grade, as well as butter. The bulk of diets involves a complete rejection of such baked goods.

However, if you can not completely abandon the sweet product, you can cook them by adding whole wheat flour and using a vegetable component instead of butter. Such buns turn out to be less caloric. They can be included in your diet in small quantities when you need to get rid of excess weight.

The use of whole wheat flour helps to satisfy hunger for a long time and also provides an improvement in digestion.

This croissant can be safely consumed as a carbohydrate meal after a busy workout. This will restore muscle fibers and provide the body with energy.

So, croissants and weight loss are compatible things if you know how to control your appetite and choose the right ingredients. As for the time of eating croissants, the optimal time is before 6 pm and not before 7 am.

For children

Children are particularly picky about food, but when it comes to French croissants, it is unlikely that anyone will refuse them. This pastry is a hearty and nutritious product that satiates children's bodies with various B vitamins, retinol, as well as minerals such as potassium, sodium, selenium and manganese.

The calories and fats contained in croissants stimulate the growth and normal development of the young body. Using such a treat in winter reduces the risk of colds due to hypothermia.

You can also prepare croissants based on rye, oat and buckwheat flour. This will result in a delicacy that will strengthen bone tissue, stimulate the heart, preserve eyesight, protect against adverse environmental conditions and against anemia.

Back in the nineteenth century it was discovered that pupils were recommended to eat such pastries and drink cocoa or warm milk. This relaxes the nervous system and restores the work of the brain.

It follows that croissants are not very dangerous for children, if you do not abuse them and cook them according to a certain technology.

How to make croissants from puff pastry

To make croissants with puff pastry you will need the following ingredients: 60 g sugar, 0,5 kg of flour of the highest grade, 2 pinches of salt, 2 chicken eggs, 200 g of butter, 140 ml of milk and 8 g of dry yeast.

The cooking process begins with kneading the dough. First you must combine the yeast, flour, salt and granulated sugar. After that, introduce milk, 1 egg and 1/2 cup of warm purified water. Next, knead the dough for a few minutes until it forms the necessary elasticity. Let the resulting mass to stand for several hours.

Now roll out the dough so that the result is a square layer. Keep the butter at room temperature. This is necessary so that it thaws. Place the creamy product in the middle of the rolled out layer. At the same time, it should be no more than 15 mm thick. Then roll the dough in half and roll out again. When an elastic mass is formed, fold the sheet of flour base in 3 layers and send it to the refrigerator for 30 minutes. At the end of this period, repeat the rolling out, and then send the product again to the refrigerator. This procedure should be repeated several times.

To make the rolls have a beautiful appearance, a rectangular sheet of dough should be cut into equal triangles. Then roll up the bagels from the base of each triangle.

The only thing left is to preheat the oven to 220 degrees, lay the pieces of puff pastry on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or oiled, brush the surface of each bagel with beaten egg and salt, and only then send it to the oven for 20 minutes. Serve the finished treat with hot drinks. If desired, the pastry can be sprinkled with powdered sugar.

With Chocolate

In this case, you will need a bar of white and dark chocolate, 300 ml of heavy milk, 150 g of butter, 10 g of cocoa, a cup of sugar, 200 g of sifted flour, vegetable oil, and optionally fresh berries or fruit.

To work you need to prepare two pots and put them on the stove. In the first bowl, pour 200 ml of milk, and the second - fill with cocoa powder, sugar and the remaining amount of milk. The contents of the second container stir thoroughly. Next, add 2 pinches of salt to both pots. Add 80 grams of creamy milk to the container with the cocoa, put the remaining amount of product in the bowl with the milk. Alternately stir the contents of the pots. Now put the pots on a low heat and wait until all the components have dissolved. After that, in one of the pots add crushed white chocolate, and in the other - black chocolate. Once the contents in both pots have dissolved, take them off the stove.

Next, work with the dark mixture. Add to it 60 g of flour, put it back on the fire and cook over low heat with a constant whisk. In a pan with a white mixture, add 80 g of flour, then send it also to the stove and cook over low heat.

Cool the contents of both pots to room temperature. The filling is ready, then you can make croissants of the desired shape.

To do this, take the puff pastry, spread it on the table and roll it out into a rectangular sheet. From this rectangle, cut small triangles of different sizes. Along the base line, place the filling, and then wrap the product with a croissant. When all the croissants are formed, place them on a baking tray greased with butter and lined with paper. Now preheat the oven to 200 degrees, then lower the temperature to 180 degrees and send the croissants to bake for a third of an hour. Before serving, the dessert can be garnished with berries.

With condensed milk

Croissants are also prepared using condensed milk. Prepare 260 ml of milk, 310 g of butter 15 ml of lemon squeeze, 90 g of sugar, 8 g of yeast, 35 ml of natural honey, 400 g of flour and 200 g of condensed milk.

Melt the butter in a water bath. Then add lemon juice and 70 grams of flour. This will form a sour creamy mass. At the same time, heat milk, but do not boil it. Add the yeast. Then put the bee product and granulated sugar into the milk. Wait for the sweetener to dissolve completely. Then it remains only to add sifted flour and obtain a dough of homogeneous consistency.

Form a rectangular sheet of flour with a thickness of no more than 0.5 cm and cut out triangles of equal size, placing thick condensed milk in their base. Roll the flour product into a tube. The result will be beautiful bagels. Coat a baking dish with butter, place the croissants in it and put it in the oven for a quarter of an hour.

With jam

To prepare croissants at home in the presence of jam or jam, you will need the following components: 500 g of flour, 50 g of yeast, a pinch of salt, an egg yolk, a glass of milk, filling in the form of jam or jam, 1 tsp. sugar and 0.5 cup of vegetable oil.

First, dissolve the sugar in the heated milk, then add 2 tbsp of flour, pour the yeast mixture. The resulting dough should rest for a quarter of an hour, as a result of which its size will increase several times. After that, pour the remaining amount of flour, add warm oil and knead the dough. When it has increased in size, divide it into 5 equal parts, roll out each part into a thin sheet and cut into triangles. Grease the base of each triangle with jam or jam. Roll up the croissants afterwards. The finished products should rest for another 15 minutes, after which they should be treated with a mixture made from 1 tbsp. milk and the yolk of 1 egg. Now send the tray to the oven for 20 minutes at 180 degrees. The finished dish is sprinkled with powdered sugar.

With cheese

To prepare croissants with cheese, you will need puff pastry, cheese and a small amount of flour for processing a cutting board. In addition, you will need an egg to treat the finished rolls and sesame seeds if desired.

Making the dessert begins with shredding the cheese. Roll the cooled dough into a thin sheet, then cut into small triangular-shaped pieces. Place grated cheese on the wide base of each triangle and roll up the blank. Place croissants on a baking tray with parchment paper, brush the top with beaten egg and send to the oven for a third of an hour. Sprinkle sesame seeds on the ready pastry.

With cottage cheese

To enjoy croissants with cottage cheese, you need to take 0.5 kg of puff pastry, 0.4 kg of cottage cheese, 2 chicken eggs, 2 tablespoons of sour cream, a pinch of vanilla sugar, 4 tablespoons of granulated sugar, raisins and powdered sugar to taste. First mix the egg, cottage cheese, raisins, vanilla and sour cream in a bowl. Then roll out the dough and smear it with the curd mass. After that, roll the dough into rolls. Place the croissants in a buttered baking dish or covered with baking paper. Brush each bagel with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar. Bake the bagels for no more than 30 minutes at 200 degrees.

Fun facts about croissants

1. The croissant was first invented in Austria after the victory in the Turkish War. Such a pastry represented the Islamic crescent. According to legend, the bakers, who worked at night and prepared fresh pastries for the citizens in the morning, heard the noise of the Ottoman army's guns and realized that the Turks were digging a tunnel under the walls of Vienna. It was they who warned the soldiers about it, thus foiling the enemy's plans. A little later the croissant became popular in France and quickly enough became the main dish of that country.
2. The real French croissant has no filling. Although today there are many different fillings, sweet and meat, the old tradition corresponds to having only puff pastry.

Croissant photo