Quick Butter Croissants Recipes

BUTTERY CROISSANTS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, beat butter and flour until combined; spread into a 12x6-in. rectangle on a piece of waxed paper. Cover with another piece of waxed paper; refrigerate for at least 1 hour., In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, sugar, egg, salt and 2 cups flour; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. , Roll dough into a 14-in. square. Remove top sheet of waxed paper from butter; invert onto half of dough. Remove waxed paper. Fold dough over butter; seal edges. , Roll into a 20x12-in. rectangle. Fold into thirds. Repeat rolling and folding twice. (If butter softens, chill after folding.) Wrap in plastic; refrigerate overnight., Unwrap dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll into a 25x20-in. rectangle. Cut into 5-in. squares. Cut each square diagonally in half, forming two triangles. , Roll up triangles from the wide end; place 2 in. apart with point down on ungreased baking sheets. Curve ends down to form crescent shape. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. , Bake at 375° for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks. Serve warm.

TOO EASY CROISSANTS

Steps:

• Proof the yeast in the warm water and set aside.
• Beat egg yolks,stir in warm milk,sugar,salt, yeast mixture,and 2/3cup of the flour.
• Beat until smooth and set aside.
• Cut butter into remaining flour until partcles are the size of LARGE PEAS.
• Pour in yeast mixture.
• Mix lightly with a spatula just until flour is moistened.
• Cover and chill at least 2 hours or up to 3 days.
• IT MUST BE COLD WHEN ROLLING OUT. If it gets too warm and the butter starts to melt, fold into thirds and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Turn out onto a floured board and knead lightly.
• Divide into thirds.
• Roll each into 16 inch diameter circle and cut into 12 pie shaped wedges.
• Roll wedges starting at the wide end.
• Place point side down on a greased baking sheet.
• Cover with towel and let rise at room temperature until doubled.
• Brush each with beaten egg white.
• Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 20 minutes.
• Serve warm or re-heat in low oven-- do not microwave.
• Makes 36 small, but you can make as big as you want.

QUICK BUTTER CROISSANTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. Stir in milk, salt, sugar, 1 egg, 1 cup flour and melted butter. Beat to make a smooth batter; set aside.
• In a large bowl, cut the one cup firm butter into remaining four cups flour until butter particles are the size of dried kidney beans. Pour the yeast batter over this and carefully turn the mixture over with a spatula to blend, just until all flour is moistened. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours or up to four days.
• Turn dough out onto a floured surface; press into compact balls and knead about 6 turns to release air bubbles. Divide dough into four equal parts. Shape one at a time. Refrigerate the remaining dough.
• Roll one part of the dough on a floured board into a circle 17 inches in diameter. With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the circle into eight equal pie-shaped wedges. Roll the wedges loosely toward the point. Shape each roll into a crescent and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Allow 1 1/2 inches space between each roll.
• Cover and let rise at room temperature until almost doubled in size. Approximately 2 hours. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Brush croissants with beaten egg. Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes, until golden.

PERFECT BUTTER CROISSANTS

Steps:

• It is important to use only a small amount of yeast in croissants so that the dough never rises before it is placed in the oven. If dry yeast is used, follow directions on package. If fresh yeast is used, cream it with sugar and salt to make a syrup.
• Place 3 1/2 cups flour in a large bowl. Make a well in the center. Add yeast, sugar, salt, and 2 tablespoons of the butter (cut into pieces and softened) and enough cold milk to make a medium-firm dough-NOT as firm as bread dough, but not sticky. Knead dough for a few minutes, only until smooth, not elastic (You can use a stand mixer initially & finish kneading by hand on a floured surface until the dough is smooth, about 3-4 minutes.) If the dough is kneaded too long, the croissants will not be tender and flaky. Place dough to rest in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
• While dough is resting, shape butter into a flattened brick, rolling it in some of the remaining flour to prevent sticking. Place butter on a sheet of wax paper. Sprinkle it with flour and cover with another sheet of wax paper. Then roll out butter into a square ¼ inch thick. Cut square in half. Wrap pieces in wax paper and place in refrigerator.
• Remove dough from the refrigerator and roll it out on a cloth well dusted with flour or a well-floured surface, making a rectangle about 3 times longer than it is wide. Brush excess flour from surface of dough. Place a piece of butter in the center. Fold ONE end of dough over butter. Place remaining butter on top. Fold second end of dough over butter. Press edges together to seal.
• Place dough on cloth so that the short ends are parallel to the edge of the table nearest you. Roll out on floured cloth into a long rectangle as before. Brush off excess flour. Fold both ends to meet in the center. Then fold once more, in half, as if you were closing the pages of a book, making 4 layers.
• Press all edges together. Wrap and chill for one hour. Place dough on floured cloth, again being sure that the short ends are parallel to the edge of the table nearest you. Roll out dough into a long rectangle. Fold ends to meet in the center, then fold once again as before.
• Chill dough at least 2-3 hours, or until it is very cold.
• Cut dough in half. Roll out each half separately into a sheet 1/8 of an inch thick (chill half not being worked on). Cut into long strips 5 inches wide. Divide strips into triangles using a sharp paring knife or a pizza cutter. Roll up widest side of the triangles toward opposite point fairly tightly, stretching slightly as you roll to make them longer. DO NOT try to shape further for now. First, chill rolls in freezer for ½ hour.
• Then, removing only 4-5 at a time, make each into a thinner, longer, and more compact shape by rolling it firmly against the surface with open palm of hand. Place on a greased baking sheet, curving each into a croissant. Chill again until very cold (you could actually freeze the formed rolls at this point).
• Set oven to 475°F Brush rolls with egg yolks mixed with cream. Place in preheated oven for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to 400°F Continue baking about 8-9 minutes longer, or until croissants are golden brown. Let cool (and complete carry-over baking) before eating.