French Croissants

Ingredients 
1 ounce fresh yeast
3 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1/3 cup white or packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup milk( add more if the dough is looking dry)
1 pound unsalted butter
2 1/2 tablespoons flour, for dusting
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
 
Directions 

In a stand mixer with a dough hook, place the yeast, flour, sugar, salt, and milk and mix for two minutes until a soft moist dough forms on the hook. If most of the dough isn't moistened with this quantity of milk, add more, two teaspoons at a time until it is moistened. Turn stand mixer on medium and mix for another 4 minutes until very smooth. 

Note: From this point, I'd watch a youtube tutorial. 

Turn the dough out of the bowl and onto a floured surface, cover with a damp towel and allow it to rest for twenty minutes. Remove the towel and, using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a 11 by 8-inch rectangle 4/8-inch thick. Wrap in plastic then chill for 1 hour. 

Fifteen minutes before the dough is done resting in the refrigerator, prepare the butter. Beat it with your rolling pin on a floured surface to soften it and form a rectangle 6 by 8 inches. Place it between parchment paper and set aside.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll it on a floured work surface into a 10 by 15-inch and 1/4-inch thick rectangle. Place the butter in the middle. Fold the bottom up over the butter and then fold the top down over the butter to overlap and encase the butter. Press down lightly with the rolling pin to push all the layers together and make sure they have contact.

Continue rolling the layered dough to form a new 10 by15-inch rectangle, patching any holes with a dusting of flour where butter may have popped through. Fold into thirds. 

Wrap well in plastic and chill 1 hour. Do this again three more times( folding and chilling) Marking it accordingly each time and chilling in between each turn.

After the fourth turn, you can let the dough chill for 1 hour, or, roll it out to a 13 by 24-inch square that is a little less than 1/4-inch thick and cut out your croissants and shape them.
  
Note: I'd also recommend watching a tutorial for the shaping. 

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and milk and brush the croissants with this egg wash.

To proof the croissants, place them in an oven that is warm but not turned on. Set aside to proof for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours until puffed up and spongy to the touch. Remove from the oven.

 Place the croissants in the oven( 425 degrees F). Bake until golden brown( about 20 min). 




Recipe from: http://www.cupcakesandcrablegs.com