How To Make Proper Croissants Completely By Hand

Dough - Day 1: 

1. Heat the water to about 100℉ (38℃). Whisk in the yeast and let sit for about 10 minutes, or until it starts to get foamy on the top. 
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt. 
3. Using a spatula stir in the bloomed yeast mixture, egg yolk and melted butter. Continue to mix until a dough forms and then use your hands to lightly knead the dough until everything is evenly incorporated. 
4. Transfer the dough to a clean work surface. To start to give the dough strength and form the gluten, pick up the dough and slap it against the table and fold it over itself. Continue this process for 30 seconds to 1 minute. You’ll know this process is done when you start to see a smooth surface on the dough. Gently shape the dough into a ball, place back in the medium bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 10 minutes. 
5. Once rested, perform the doughs first turn. Grab an edge of the dough, gently pull and stretch it away from the center and then fold it back over itself to the opposite edge. Gently pat the dough down with the palm of your hand. Repeat this process all the way around the perimeter of the dough, until you’ve stretched all the sides. Flip the dough over and place it seam side down back in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and place back in the fridge to rest for 10 more minutes. 
6. After 10 minutes, repeat the process of “turning” one more time (for a total of two turns); being careful not to tear the dough when stretching it. Cover once again with plastic wrap and rest in the fridge for 25 minutes. 
7. Once rested, place the dough on a large sheet of wax paper. Using a rolling pin, gently roll the dough into a small oval, just evening out the dough so it is uniform in thickness. Fold the ends of the wax paper up and over the dough, so it is completely covered. Fold the edges of the wax paper over to create a 7x7” (18x18cm) square around the dough. Flip the dough over so the folded edges of the wax paper are facing down. Gently roll the dough until it evenly fills out this square space. Don’t press too hard or the wax paper will burst. You are done rolling when the dough is an even thickness and square.
8. Place the dough in the fridge overnight, for at least 12 hours. 

Beurrage - Day 2: 

1. Evenly slice your butter into approximately ½” (12mm) slices. Place a large piece of wax paper on your work surface and lay the butter slices on the wax paper in roughly a 4x4” (10x10cm) square. It’s ok if you cut your butter slices into small pieces, and stack some on top of each other to create this shape as long as the end result is an even thickness. Just like the croissant dough, fold your wax paper up and over the butter so that the wax paper completely covers the butter. Fold the edges to create a 4x4” (10x10cm) square. Flip the butter over so the seam side of the paper is facing down. Using a rolling pin, gently pound out the butter so it spreads out to the edges evenly and is an even thickness. Don’t pound too hard or the wax paper will burst. Use a bench scraper to help keep all four edges perfectly straight as you roll it into one even square. Place in the fridge to chill for 15-25 minutes.
2. Lightly flour a work surface and pull your dough out of the fridge. With your rolling pin, flatten out and elongate all of the edges of your dough, being careful to retain the square shape. Gently roll the center so that the dough once again is an even thickness. Place your butter in the center of your dough diagonally, it should look like a diamond on top of the dough.
3. Take each edge of the dough and stretch it over the butter towards the center. Press each fold gently into the butter and continue to do this until the butter is completely encased by dough. Once the butter is completely covered, pinch the dough and close the edges shut. Flip over so the dough is seam side down. Let the dough rest for a few minutes to allow the butter to soften just slightly. 

Rolling and folding - Day 2: 

1. Before you begin rolling your dough, always remember throughout this process that if the dough is resisting when you try to roll it, rewrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes before trying again. If you roll the dough before it is ready you risk pressing the butter into the dough and losing the flaky layers you are trying to create.
2. Lightly flour your rolling pin and the top of the dough. Using the rolling pin, gently press down on the dough, move your rolling pin down about 1” (2.5cm) and lightly press down again. Continue to press the dough this way along the entire length of the dough and then rotate it one turn and do this again. Continue to do this until you have turned the dough one full turn and pressed at each turn, this will help encase the butter and spread it out to the edges of the dough. 
3. Make sure the work surface you are on is at least 18” (46cm) long. Using gentle, even pressure, roll the dough into an 18” (46cm) long rectangle. You only need to roll the dough in one direction; the width will stay the same. Use a bench scraper to help keep the edges straight throughout the rolling process. 
4. Turn the dough, if necessary, so the short end is parallel to you. Pick up the bottom, short end of the dough and fold it ¾ of the way up the rectangle. Next, fold the top part of the dough a ¼ of the way down so that the two ends meet evenly but do not overlap. Lightly pat down the dough so the two ends are in an even layer and adhere to the bottom dough. Once again, pick up the bottom part of the dough and fold it over itself, so it meets the top of the dough, making an envelope shape. 
5. Turn the dough so the short end (where you see the folds) is parallel to you. Using your rolling pin, lightly tap on the dough every inch or so, to adhere the layers. Do not press down on the dough! Wrap in plastic wrap and rest in the fridge for 1 hour. 
6. After 1 hour, unwrap the dough and place it on a lightly floured work surface. Place the shorter end of the dough (the side where you can see the folds) parallel to you, this will ensure you roll the dough in the opposite direction as before. Using your rolling pin, gently tap the dough along the entire surface and then, using even pressure, roll the dough into an 18” (46cm) long rectangle. 
7. Pick up the top, short end of the dough and fold it ⅓ of the way down the rectangle, then fold the bottom part up and over the entire dough to meet the top most edge; you will end up with a square shape. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour but up to 12 hours. 

 Shaping - Day 2 or 3: 

1. Lightly flour your work surface and unwrap the chilled dough. Roll the dough until it is 10” (25cm) wide and ¼” (6mm) thick (the length doesn’t need to be exact as long as you roll the dough to the proper width and thickness). 
2. To shape the croissants, turn the dough so the 10” (25cm) side is perpendicular to you. Lay a ruler along the bottom, longer edge. Using a pizza cutter or knife, make marks along the bottom of the dough at 4.5” (11.5cm) intervals. Find the middle point between the first two marks and then move your knife to the top edge of the dough and make a mark there. Repeat this for the rest of the dough. 
3. To cut the croissant, take a long sharp knife and place the tip at the first mark on the top edge and then angle your knife, without cutting yet, so that the bottom of the knife meets up with the first bottom mark. Once you connect the two marks, cut the dough, it will be in the shape of a triangle. Continue to cut the remaining croissants in the same way, you will have about 5-6 croissants total. 
4. Take one triangle of dough and gently use your fingers to elongate the triangle by about 1” (2.5cm). If the dough resists you doing this then stop. Starting at the wider edge, roll the dough tightly, without squishing the layers, until you reach the point of the triangle. Gently press the top of the croissant to adhere the tip to the dough. Place on a parchment lined, rimmed sheet tray, tail side down, and repeat this process with the remaining croissants.
5. Whisk the egg in a small bowl and then brush the tops of the croissants with the egg wash. Reserve the remaining egg wash for later. 
6. Cover the sheet tray with another inverted sheet tray. Proof the croissants at 78℉ (25℃) for 2 hours; make sure the temperature does not exceed 80℉ (27℃). The best way to achieve this environment is to place the sheet tray in the lowest rack of your oven with the light turned on, leaving the door slightly opened. The croissants are done proofing when they are puffy, almost doubled in size, the layers are splitting slightly and they jiggle when the pan is gently moved back and forth. 

Baking - Day 2 or 3

1. Very gently brush the tops of the croissants again with egg wash. 
2. For a convection oven: Preheat oven to 390℉ (199℃). Bake the croissants for 6 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 330℉ (165℃) and continue to bake for 10-15 more minutes. The croissants are done when they are golden brown and puffy. 
3. For a conventional oven: Preheat oven to 400℉ (204℃). Bake the croissants for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown and puffy. 

Sample Schedule:

Day 1 - around 8 or 9 pm:

• Make your dough 
• Overnight proof 

Day 2:

• 9:00 am - Make beurrage
• 9:25 am - Encase butter in dough, roll and fold
• 10:30 am - Second fold
• 11:30 am - Roll dough out to correct size for slicing and shaping and rest in the fridge.
• 12:30 am - Cut dough and shape croissants. Brush with egg wash and proof.
• 2:30 pm - Brush again with egg wash
• 2:35 pm - Bake