Bakery-quality plain croissants. Flaky handmade croissant dough transforms through meticulous butter lamination into shatteringly crisp layers that puff dramatically in the oven. Overnight chilling develops gluten strength while cold French butter creates hundreds of delicate, steam-lifting sheets.
Prep: overnight
Cook: 10 to 30 mins
Serves: Serves 6
Dietary: Vegetarian
By Sophia HandschuhFrom Saturday Kitchen Recipes
This handmade croissant dough earns Nutri-Score D from butter-rich lamination and flour, balanced by controlled sugar. Professional technique yields lighter texture than shop-bought. Per serving: approximately 450 kcal, 28g fat, 42g carbs, 6g sugars, 2g fibre, 8g protein.
Ingredients
For the handmade croissant dough
- 55ml whole milk
- 10g fresh yeast (or ½ tsp instant yeast)
- 215g T45 or T55 croissant flour (or strong white bread flour)
- 25g caster sugar
- 15g unsalted butter, chilled
- 1 tsp salt
- 125g unsalted French butter, for laminating
- 2 large free-range egg yolks
- 10ml whole milk
Customise
- Use all-purpose flour instead of T45 or T55 croissant flour; add vital wheat gluten for strength in handmade croissant dough.
- Replace French butter with European-style high-fat butter (82% fat minimum) for superior lamination.
- Substitute fresh yeast with 3g active dry yeast dissolved in warm milk for reliable croissant dough rise.
Method
Dough Base (Day 1 – 30 mins active + overnight chill)
- Warm milk slightly and mix with 55ml water in mixing bowl. Crumble in fresh yeast with fingers until dissolved – this activates your handmade croissant dough perfectly.
- Add flour, sugar, chilled butter, and salt, kneading until shaggy. Switch to stand mixer medium speed 3-4 minutes, or hand-knead until smooth but not fully developed – save gluten strength for folds.
- Shape into 10x15cm rectangle, wrap tightly in cling film. Rest 30 minutes at room temp, then overnight fridge chill. Dough strengthens while you sleep!
Butter Block & First Fold (Day 2 – 1 hour active + chilling)
- Press dough flat to degas (it puffed overnight!), freeze 15 minutes. Meanwhile, bash cold French butter between greaseproof sheets into pliable 10x8cm block – cool but bendable is perfect.
- Encapsulate butter block in dough centre, folding sides to meet and seal firmly. Roll confidently from centre until 5-7mm thick, trim ends, letter-fold (top third down, bottom up).
- Chill 40 minutes wrapped. Butter stays cold, dough relaxes for next turns – this builds your handmade croissant dough layers.
Double Turns & Final Rest (2 hours chilling)
- Repeat rolling and folding twice more, chilling 40 minutes between each. If dough resists or butter softens, fridge break! Three turns create 27 layers of magic.
- Freeze 2 hours post-final fold, then fridge 2 hours. Cold dough rolls evenly for shaping your croissant dough.
Shaping & Proofing (3-4 hours – plan ahead)
- Roll to 24cm wide x 5mm thick, cut 8cm-base triangles. Roll tightly base-to-tip, curve ends slightly, place tip-down on lined tray.
- Prove covered in warm spot 2-4 hours until doubled, jiggly, layers separating. Under-prove beats over-prove – puffed but holds shape when shaken.
Egg Wash & Baking (25 mins)
- Preheat 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Mix egg yolks, milk, pinch salt for wash – brush gently, avoiding cut edges to preserve layers.
- Bake immediately, drop to 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5 for 18-20 minutes until deep golden. Cool completely on rack, then overnight rest – day-old handmade croissants fill best!