You can find almond croissants, or “Croissants Aux Amandes” in almost every French bakery. They were originally invented by boulangeries to use-up their unsold croissants and resell them the next day, garnished with almond cream.

Not only did the idea work well, but there’s very little chance you’ll find a single almond croissant left on a bakery stall at the end of the day! Bakeries have managed to transform leftover croissants into a delicious pastry that is today as sought after as croissants themselves.

Almond Croissants are usually enjoyed for breakfast or for “le goûter” – the 4pm French snack time. They are also great for a weekend brunch!

What I love about almond croissants is how extraordinarily easy they are to make at home. Yet they taste so rich and complex! I had fun developing this recipe as I wanted to show my husband (who loves them!), that anyone can make bakery-style almond croissants in a short amount of time and with very little equipment.

Here are more details about the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe, so you too can recreate these marvelous French pastries in your kitchen!

Ingredients you’ll need for French Almond Croissants

French Croissants, store-bought or homemade

The first step is getting your hands on classic French croissants. Ideally, choose good-quality croissants from a bakery of artisan shop. Outside of France, you can also easily find them at the grocery store in large boxes of 6 to 8 croissants – although their quality can vary.

If you have time, you can definitely try and make homemade croissants from scratch! I have an extensive Classic French Croissant 101 Guide. You can also find on my blog a 3-day, 2-day or quicker 1-day recipe for croissants.

Once you have croissants on hand (and you resist the urge to eat them!), let them dry out on your counter overnight, uncovered. Since fresh croissants tend to collapse easily when handled, drying the croissants out ensures they will keep their shape better. It also makes them much easier to be sliced in half.

Almond Cream (or Crème d’Amande)

The croissants are filled with a classic French crème d’amande, consisting of almond flour mixed with butter, eggs and almond extract.

For the almond flour, you can use blanched or unblanched. Choose a high-quality source such as Bob’s Red Mill. Likewise for the butter, try and choose a high-quality European butter. These two staples – ground almond and butter – are the main ingredients in the almond cream, which gives the signature flavor to almond croissants. So splurging a little is way worth it.

The Syrup

Right before baking, the top of the croissants are brushed with a syrup made with water, sugar and amaretto or rum. Amaretto, an Italian almond-flavored liqueur, is wonderful here as it enhances the almond taste even further. I also make the syrup with rum sometimes, as it gives a more subtle taste which allows the buttery flavor of this recipe shine a bit more. The choice is yours!

When brushing the croissants with the syrup, be generous! The syrup also helps replace the lost moisture of these drier, day-old croissants. Along with a golden shiny look from the syrup, a sprinkle of shaved almonds on the croissants gives them a nice crunchy finish.  

Once baked and cooled, top the croissants with a light dusting of powdered sugar to give them a classic French bakery look!

Can I prepare Almond Croissants in advance?

Yes, absolutely! Almond Croissants are a perfect make-ahead breakfast or brunch recipe: you can prepare each component ahead, separately, or even prepare everything the day before. Here are the details:

• French croissants will keep on the counter (uncovered) for up to 2 days before you use them for this recipe. Don’t keep them out any longer or they will be too dry.
• The Almond cream can be prepared up to 5 days ahead and kept in an airtight container in the fridge.
• The syrup can also be prepared ahead and kept for up to 5 days in the fridge.

Once filled with cream and brushed with syrup, the croissants can be kept overnight in the fridge, covered with plastic wrap. You can simply bake them the next morning (as instructed in the recipe card), and enjoy them for breakfast or brunch!

Almond Croissants Variations

Once you master this French Almond Croissant recipe, there are plenty of ways to spruce them up! You can easily add your own twist with one or two other ingredients added inside, on top of the almond cream, before you close up the croissant sandwiches. Here are a few ideas (quantities per croissant):

• 2 chocolate squares
• A smear (about ½ tbsp) of hazelnut chocolate spread
• A smear (about ½ tbsp) of fruit jam or marmalade
• 5-6 fresh raspberries
• 2 strawberries, cut in thin slices
• A few slices of ripe stone fruits (ie. peach or apricot)

As a personal twist, I like to add 1 teaspoon of lemon zest to the almond cream. If you try other variations, I would love to hear about them : let us know in the comments!

How to store Almond Croissants

These French Almond Croissants are best enjoyed hot, right out of the oven – when the almond cream is still warm and soft. But you can definitely enjoyed them cool a few days later, as this is how they are sold and enjoyed in French bakeries.

• For keeping them any longer, store them in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days. You can then enjoy them as is, or reheat them for a few minutes in the oven so they crisp back up.
• You can also freeze the croissants for up to 3 months. If you do freeze them, make sure they are completely cooled off before wrapping them individually in plastic film and then together in a freezer safe container. For reheating, let them thaw overnight on the counter and reheat in the oven.

Common Questions

What is the difference between crème d’amande and frangipane?

If you’re a beginner to French baking, crème d’amande can look and taste similar to frangipane – used for plenty of classic French fruit tarts and galettes. However, they are different. Here’s how:

• Crème d’amande : almond flour with butter, sugar, eggs and almond extract.
• Frangipane : Crème d’amande + crème patissière.

Frangipane is indeed more complex as it consists of crème d’amande, mixed with a crème patissière. The proportions can vary from 75% crème d’amande with 25% crème patissière, to 50/50. It results in a richer tasting cream, that is also often less expensive, as it uses fewer almonds – which are the most expensive ingredient here.

While tasting less complex and rich, crème d’amande allows the flavor of almonds to shine more. It is less creamy and has more of a spread consistency. It is perfect for this recipe as it is easy to spread the cream inside the croissants. The croissants also don’t end up oozing out a ton of cream when baking, as they would do with frangipane.

Can I use almond meal instead of almond flour?

Yes, for this recipe, you can! Almond meal, in comparison to almond flour, is slightly coarser (not as finely ground). Almond meal is also often made from raw unpeeled almonds resulting in a brown-speckled mix, while almond flour is made from peeled almonds. 

That being said, using almond meal instead of almond flour in the recipe won’t alter the finished croissants very much. The only change would be that the texture of the almond cream will be slightly thicker. But once spread into the croissants and baked, the substitution is nearly unnoticeable. The taste remains the same.

I hope you’ll love this French Almond Croissants (Bakery Style) recipe as much as I do! If you have any questions, please leave a comment. 

More French baking recipes you may like:

• Chouquettes (French Sugar Puffs)
• Classic French Butter Brioche (Brioche Pur Beurre)
• Classic French Toasts (Pain Perdu)
• Overnight No-Knead Bread
• French Bakery Beignets
• Roasted Hazelnut Financiers
• Chocolate Chip Cookies with Fleur de Sel

French Almond Croissants (Bakery Style)

Print Recipe

Serves: 8 Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 15 Minutes 15 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.6/5

( 5 voted )

Ingredients

8 (day-old) medium/large croissants, left at room temp overnight, uncovered
100g (1/2 cup) sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 stick/8 tbsp (115g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup (100g) almond meal/almond flour
1 tsp almond extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp lemon zest (optional)
For the syrup:
4 tbsp (15ml) amaretto or rum
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp water
For topping:
3 tbsp sliced almonds
Powdered sugar, for dusting

Instructions

Pre-heat your oven to 350°F (180°C) with a rack in the middle. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 1 – Make the syrup. In a small pot, combine the 2 tablespoons of sugar with 1 tablespoon of water and the 4 tablespoons of amaretto. Bring to a slight simmer and stir for about 1 minute until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Step 2 – Make the almond cream. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, salt and soft butter until homogeneous and frothy. Whisk in the eggs, one by one. Finally, whisk in the ground almond, almond extract, lemon zest (optional) and mix until smooth.

Step 3 – With a sharp serrated knife, slice each croissant in half, like you would for a sandwich. Place on the prepared baking sheet. 

Step 4 – Spread about two tablespoons of the almond cream on the bottom half of each croissant. Place the top halves over top and press lightly to seal.

Step 5 – Brush the top of the croissants generously with the syrup and sprinkle with sliced almonds.

Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until the croissants are golden-brown. Some almond cream may ooze out slightly, this is normal (it will harden as it cools). Carefully with a spatula, transfer the croissants to a wire rack and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes.

Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.

Notes...

This recipe can be easily cut in a half for 4 people.

The post French Almond Croissants (Bakery Style) appeared first on Pardon Your French.

In fact, it has been happening to me a lot lately, as I’ve working on developing three different versions (1-day, 2-day and 3-day) of my Classic French Croissant recipes. So I have been left with dozens of croissants on the counter, and even though I am very much fond of them, going through 36 in a day became a bit too much. And you’ll probably agree that days-old croissants simply do not have the same oomph as freshly baked ones.

So I have been thinking of ways to use up my leftovers croissants, and making a savory croissant casserole is the first thing that came to my mind. I wanted a comforting dish to cut through the bitter Winter evenings. I imagined the textures and flavours I wanted, and worked backwards from there…

A great Winter dinner or crowd-pleasing brunch

The croissants paired with mushrooms provides the perfect mix of sweet and salty flavors. The bittery spinach cut nicely through the richness of the croissants. The tender baked eggs and cheese perfectly compliment the crisp edges of the croissants.

With leftover croissants on hand, it is a quick and easy dish to put together (less than 15 minutes), and makes for a great Winter dinner or crowd-pleasing brunch.

Cooking notes:

• Using fresh spinach is best for this dish (they render less water); but if you have to use frozen spinach, make sure your thaw and drain them very well, and cook them all the way through until no moisture is left in the pan.
• Gruyère cheese is great in this dish, but feel free to use any hard cheese of your liking. 1 cup (100g) is a fair amount of cheese – just enough to bring comfort and flavour, but not overkill (remember croissants are already rich to start with). Feel free to use more/less cheese, to suit your taste.

Savory Croissant Casserole with Mushroom, Spinach and Cheese

Print Recipe

Serves: 6 people Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cooking Time: 35 minutes 35 minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.1/5

( 26 voted )

Ingredients

6 Classic French Croissants
2 tbsp (30g) unsalted butter + extra to grease the dish
1 bag [227g/8oz] fresh spinach
4 2/3 cup (350g) Cremini muchrooms, fresh, sliced
1 cup (100g) Gruyère Cheese, grated.
6 large eggs
2 cups (500ml) whole milk
Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Step 1 – Over medium-low heat, in a large frying pan, melt 1 tablespoon (15g) of butter. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally until the mushrooms are soft and tender. Set aside.

Add an other tablespoon (15g) of butter to the pan with the fresh spinach and cook for 2-3 minutes until the spinach is cooked.

Pre-heat your oven to 350°F (180°C)

Step 2 – Butter a 10.5x7 inch (26.7x17.8cm) dish. Slice the croissants in half vertically and split each half partially horizontally (do not cut them all the way through). Place the croissants halves vertically (sliced side up) in rows in the dish, nice and tight. Stuff the spinach equally into each croissant half and do the same with the mushrooms (you can stuff some mushrooms in-between the croissants too).

Step 3 – In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, and half of the grated cheese (1/2 cup/50g). Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour the egg mixture over the croissants. Finally, sprinkle the rest of the grated cheese (1/2 cup/50g) evenly over the top. 

Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an extra 10-15 minutes, until the egg mixture is set and golden and the grated cheese is all melted and crisp on the edges. Serve immediately. 

If you try this Savory Croissant Casserole with Mushroom, Spinach and Cheese recipe let me know!  Leave a comment or share a photo on Instagram tagging @pardonyourfrench or using #pardonyourfrench. 

The post Savory Croissant Casserole with Mushroom, Spinach and Cheese appeared first on Pardon Your French.

Likewise, making classic French Croissants at home from scratch, has a reputation for being a lengthy and intricate process, with a few too many steps and baking skills to own. Poolish, laminating, proofing… these are obscure terms for some, and they often seem to be the reasons why making classic French croissants appears so daunting to most.

So if you were like me a few years back, contemplating making croissants at home but feeling a bit overwhelmed and not knowing where to start – this Classic French Croissants 101 Guide is for you. I am covering and explaining all the equipment, steps and tips you need to know before you start, to build the confidence you’ll need to make your own Classic French Croissants.   

At the end of the article, you will also find links for 3 recipes: 1-day Classic French Croissants; 2-day Classic French Croissants; 3-day Classic French Croissants. But, make sure you read this 101 article first to get a grasp of the whole process, and then go to the recipe.

Making Classic French Croissants is an intermediate to advanced recipe; and with this article, my goal is to guide you through the process, giving you essential tips and recommendations for success and to show you that making croissants is in fact within reach for any baker!    

The equipment

• Stand Mixer (optional – easier for kneading the dough; but this can be done by hand too)
• Large working surface (ideally, cold marble top)
• Rolling pin
• Ruler or measuring tape (cm or inch)
• Pizza cutter
• Pastry Brush
• Two baking sheets; parchment paper
• Plastic film
• For 3-day version: a 8×8-inch (20.3×20.3cm) or 9×9-inch (22.9×22.9cm) square pan
• For 3-day version and 2-day version: 2 large air-tight containers (able to contain 6 croissants each).

The ingredients

Choosing quality ingredients will go a long way in creating this delicate pastry.

• The flour. In France, Flour Type 55 is best for making croissants. Alternatively, unbleached all-purpose flour is good too, which is what I use in Canada (I personally like Five Roses for making pastries or breads).
• The milk. Whole milk is best. I have however already used 2% and the recipe worked well. But avoid 1%, skim, or no-fat.
• The butter. Choose a good-quality unsalted butter. Using a block of butter (instead of 4 sticks) will make it easier later in the recipe too – when slicing it to create a large square.

The poolish

A Poolish is comparable to a “wet sponge”, made before the dough, and typically made with the same ratio of flour and water, to which you can add yeast. This is considered as a pre-ferment. A poolish will need to set for a while, usually 1 or 5 hours (in this recipe, this is more of a “quick-poolish”, that sets for 30 minutes). A poolish will help the dough to extend and rise, and help the yeast to be well integrated into the final dough and do its job properly.

The kneading

Once the poolish is combined into the dough, the dough should be kneaded enough so that the gluten will develop (by kneading) and the yeast will “get activated” in order for the dough to rise.

For this croissant recipe, it is crucial to knead the dough just enough to develop enough gluten but not too much! If the dough is kneaded too long, too much gluten will develop and the dough will be too stiff. If the dough is too stiff, the integration of the butter into the dough (by laminating) will be too difficult and the butter won’t be integrated properly. So make sure the dough is smooth and homogeneous, but still soft and not too elastic.

The laminating

Laminating is probably the most essential step to achieving a croissant. Making a laminated dough means you are layering the butter in between the layers of dough. This is what creates the flaky and puffed character of the croissants. Laminating is achieved by folding the butter into the dough, and then folding and rolling out the dough repeatedly.

If you have never made croissants before, the laminating process is likely to be the most daunting step for you. This process can be overwhelming the first time, but the more you practice, the better and faster you’ll get – and this will seem very simple to do after a while. Just make sure you read each laminating step before you start, and have a timer/clock on hand.

Tips for laminating:  

• Measuring the dough each time you roll it out is key – using a ruler or measuring tape is essential!
• Because we are handling a lot of butter and a delicate dough, the laminating process should be done in a cool environment (cold days are best) and ideally on a cool surface (ie. cool marble top).
• Do not rush the chilling process between each step. Working with a well-chilled dough and butter is key, and much easier – the dough is easier to roll out when chilled, and the butter will remain firm and won’t spread everywhere.
• Be quick! During each folding and rolling out, try to work as fast as possible so the dough and butter remain as cold as possible. These steps might need a bit of practice, so you will get faster and faster everytime your make croissants. If the dough or butter get too warm, place them back into the freezer for a few minutes and wait until they are cold enough to work with again.
• When you roll out the dough, make sure it is even (one side shouldn’t be thicker than the other). Apply an even pressure on the rolling pin as you work the dough.

The shaping

Like the laminating, you need a ruler/tape measurer to measure out the dough and make sure you cut out even triangles. Work your way quickly, it is far easier to shape the croissants when the dough is chilled, rather than at room temperature. Make sure your hands are clean, dry and not too warm.

 The proofing

Proofing is the period of time right before baking when the shaped croissants need to rest in order to set all the layers properly and expand a bit more. A perfect and timely proofing is essential to achieve flaky, airy and evenly-buttered croissants. If you rush the proofing, you will end up with flat layers and the butter is likely to be oozing out of the croissants too much while baking.  

Coincidentally, the quicker the recipe for the croissants, the longer the proofing time needs to be; as your dough hasn’t had enough time to rest and develop yet. So the proofing time is the longest for the 1-day recipe (3hrs) and the shortest for the 3-day recipe (1hr). This may sound counter-intuitive at first, but proofing is even more crucial for a dough that didn’t get any time to rest overnight and ferment yet. Proofing isn’t something that can be rushed – you can have a perfect croissant recipe that won’t work out if the proofing isn’t done properly.

Steps to proofing and what to look for:  

• The day of baking, place the shaped croissants on parchment paper on a baking sheet, leaving enough space between them (at least 2 inches) that they won’t touch when they expand, and then when they bake. Apply the first brushing of egg wash.
• Keep the tray at room temperature (ideally, between 72.4°and 79°F/ 24°C and 26°C), in a draft-free environement (no windows open near-by).
• After 30 minutes or so, look at the croissants from the side and you should start seeing the layers (dough/butter/dough/butter/etc…).
• At the end of the proofing time, you should know the proofing is done when the layers are nice and visible, when the croissants have expanded (not significantly, but enough that it is noticeable), and they jiggle slightly when you shake the pan. You can now apply the second (and final) brushing of the egg wash and bake the croissants.
• Make sure you keep an eye on your croissants during the proofing period. A too-long proofing time will dry-out the croissants and/or miss the optimum “peak” of the croissants expansion, and will end in flatter croissants once baked.
• Keeping the shaped croissants in the refrigerator overnight can be a way to slow down the proofing process – in order to enjoy the croissants freshly-baked in the morning. I am explaining you how to do so in the 3-Day recipe version and 2-Day recipe version. 

The baking

For baking such delicate pastries like croissants, it is important that you know your oven well. Some ovens are higher in temperature than what they indicate and some are lower. Some ovens are not even in heat : more heat can come from the back (in that case you might need to very quickly rotate your baking sheet during the end of the baking process so the croissants are evenly baked and even in color), more heat can come from the top (in that case, you might need to place your rack in the lower-half, rather than in the middle), etc… Knowing your oven comes with practice. The more you bake, the more you’ll get to know your oven ( for this reason, your first batch of croissants might not be perfect).

My oven is a non-convection oven. My perfect baking time is: 390°F (199°C) for 9 minutes, followed by 370°F (188°C) for 8 minutes. This gives dark-gold, crisp croissants, with an airy inside (slightly chewy but not too much).

Steps to baking, and what to look for:

• The first few minutes of baking are when the croissants will rise and expand the most.
• After the first 3-4 minutes, the croissants will start to slightly ooze some butter (don’t worry, this is normal).
• After 7-8 minutes, the croissants have risen significantly, dried out on the outside and start to show the signature crackly and bubbly top.
• After 9 minutes, the croissants will turn sightly golden – that is your cue to turn the temperature down (370F/188C).
• Between 9 and 17 minutes, the croissants will set and turn from light golden to dark golden. Keep an eye on them. Once the croissants start to darken, it can go very fast and you don’t want them to be too dark. Depending on your oven, you might need 1 or 2 minutes more or less, to achieve the perfect baking and perfect color.
• Know what kind of croissants you want: I prefer darker, crisp croissants – but you might prefer paler croissants with a chewier inside (in that case, less baking time is recommended).
• Take the croissants out of the oven when done, leave them on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, and then carefully and transfer them to a cooling rack.

Enjoying the croissants

Like most bakery-style pastries, croissants are best enjoyed within a few hours of baking.

Ready for making Classic French croissants at home?

Now that you have gained some serious knowledge on making croissants at home, it’s time to get baking. As per their reputation, making croissants is a lengthy process and it is very common to make them over 3 days. That said, in our modern and busy lives, I think that having two other alternatives (2-day recipe or 1-day recipe) is sometimes needed.

The three recipes include the exact same steps (the 3-day recipe isn’t any harder than the 1-day version), but the chilling times are different. The three recipes give 12 absolutely delicious croissants, and it is up to you to pick which version you want to do, depending on the time you have on hand. Here are a few notes:

• The 3-Day version (left on the photo) will give you the best croissants. Over three days, the dough has the appropriate time to build texture and develop a rich and complex taste. The 3-day croissants will have big, airy “holes” in the middle, a crisp outside and a perfectly-balanced buttery taste – close to the one you get in French bakeries.
• The 2-Day version (middle on the photo) will give you middle-sized air pockets and a nice buttery taste.
• The 1-Day version (right on the photo) will give you smaller air-pockets, a denser/chewier crumb with a rich buttery taste (slighlty less subtle than the 2 or 3-day versions).

Note that the 3-Day version may be done over 3 days, but it is the one that requires the least “active time” (4 hours); while the 1-day version requires 7 hours.

Another important note: As a French, having a croissant after 11am simply feels odd to me. Croissants are for breakfast only, in my world. So it was really important to develop at least 2 versions of this recipe where you will get freshly-baked croissants in the morning. Only the 1-Day version will give you croissants for later in the day (unless you wake up 6 hours before breakfast time…).

Summary:

3-Day version:
(ie. Start Friday evening, and get freshly-baked croissants for Sunday morning)
Day 1: In the Evening (30 minutes active time, total)
Make the poolish and dough. Refrigerate until Day 2. 
Day 2: Late Afternoon/ Evening (2 hours 30 minutes total, inc. 1 hour 30 minutes of chill time)
Laminate the dough and shape the croissants. Refrigerate until Day 3.
Day 3: Morning (1 hour of proofing and 17 minutes of baking)
Proofing and baking of the croissants
Total: 4 hours, over 3 days

2-Day version:
(ie. Start Saturday afternoon and get freshly-baked croissants for Sunday morning)
Day 1: Late Afternoon (4 hours, inc. 2 hours 30 minutes chill time)
Make poolish and dough (30 minutes), refrigerate (1 hour)
Laminate the dough and shape the croissants (2 hours 30 minutes; inc. 1 hour 30 minutes chill time)
Refrigerate until Day 2.
Day 2: Morning (2 hours of proofing and 17 minutes of baking)
Proofing (2 hours), baking (17 min).
Total: 6 hours, over 2 day

1-Day version:
(ie. Start Sunday morning and get freshly-baked croissants for Sunday afternoon)
Step 1: Make poolish and dough (30 minutes), refrigerate (1 hour)
Step 2: Laminate the dough and shape the croissants (2 hours 30 minutes; inc. 1 hour 30 minutes chill time)
Step 3: Proofing (3 hours), baking (17 min).
Total: 7 hours, over 1 day

The post Classic French Croissants 101 Guide appeared first on Pardon Your French.

In comparison to my 2-Day version or 3-Day version, these croissants are more buttery, with smaller air bubbles inside and a satisfyingly chewy crumb. A great compromise if you don’t have two or three days to create the real deal! 

Before you start this recipe, make sure you read this post: Classic French Croissants 101, where I am covering all the essentials you need to know before making croissants for the first time (choice of ingredients, yeast, poolish, laminating, proofing, etc…). 

Summary of the timeline: 

(ie. Start Sunday morning and get freshly-baked croissants for Sunday afternoon)
Step 1: Make poolish and dough (30 minutes), refrigerate (1 hour)
Step 2: Laminate the dough and shape the croissants (2 hours 30 minutes; inc. 1 hour 30 minutes chill time)
Step 3: Proofing (3 hours), baking (17 min).
Total: 7 hours, over 1 day

The equipment

• Stand Mixer (optional – easier for kneading the dough; but this can be done by hand too)
• Large working surface (ideally, cold marble top)
• Rolling pin
• Ruler or measuring tape (cm or inch)
• Pizza cutter
• Pastry Brush
• Two baking sheets; parchment paper
• Plastic film
•  8×8-inch (20.3×20.3cm) or 9×9-inch (22.9×22.9cm) square pan

Important note: Making Classic French Croissants is an intermediate to advanced level recipe. It took me several years to get a hang of “laminating” and “proofing”, having several failures along the way. I can’t promise your very first batch of croissants will be a success (mine definitely weren’t). But if you persevere, you will succeed!

One Day Classic French Croissants

Print Recipe

Serves: 12 Croissants Prep Time: 7 Hours Cooking Time: 17 Minutes 17 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 3.7/5

( 35 voted )

Ingredients

For the poolish :

½ cup + 2 tsp (140ml) water
1 cup (125g) French Type 55 flour or unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tbsp (17g) Instant yeast

For the dough:

3 cups (375g) French Type 55 flour or unbleached all-purpose flour (+ extra for dusting)
2 ½ tsp (12g) salt
1/3 cup (65g) sugar
½ cup + 2 tsp (140ml) whole milk, cold
2 ¾ tbsp (40g) unsalted butter, at room temperature and cubbed

For laminating:

1 cup (250g) unsalted butter, cold
1 egg + 1 tsp whole milk (egg wash)

Instructions

Make sure you read the Classic-French Croissants 101 before you start this recipe. 

Step 1 – Make the poolish.

In a small sauce pan over low heat, bring the water to a lukewarm temperature and turn off the heat immediately (make sure it doesn’t get any warmer than lukewarm or it will kill the yeast). Stir in the flour and yeast and mix until well incorporated. The mixture should be thick and slightly difficult to mix.

Set aside for 30 minutes. The poolish will expand. It should triple or even quadruple in size, and become spongy with bubbles forming at the top. Photos below: Before and After. 

Step 2 – Make the dough.

Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt and sugar. 

Add the poolish (make sure you scrape the saucepan to get all the poolish into the dough) and the milk. Stir to combine.

Knead in the cubes of butter in three separate additions. Make sure the butter is well incorporated before you incorporate the next addition. 

Knead the dough for 5-6 minutes (in the bowl or you can transfer it to a working surface). The dough should be soft, smooth and slightly sticky. Do not over-knead. The dough shouldn’t be too firm nor elastic.

Cover a 8x8-inch (20.3cmx20.3cm) or 9x9-inch (22.9cmx22.9cm) square pan with plastic film and pat the dough into it. Cover with plastic film and refrigerate for 1 hour. 

Step 3 – Prepare the butter

In the meantime, take the butter out of the fridge and cut it into about ½-inch (1.25cm) thick square slices (if using a block of butter – not sticks - this will give you 4 slices).

Lay a large piece of parchment paper on a working surface. Place the slices of butter flat on the paper to form a 5x5-inches (12.7cmx12.7cm) square.

Lay another piece of parchment paper on top. With a rolling pin, roll out the butter to a large 6.5x6.5-inch (16.5cmx16.5cm) square. Peel off the parchment paper, wrap the butter slab in plastic film and chill until needed.

Step 4 – Laminate the dough

After the 1 hour, take the dough out of the fridge. Take it out of the square pan, unwrap it and place it onto a large, lightly floured working surface (ideally, cold marble top / Do not flour it too much or the dough will absorb too much flour and become too stiff.)

Step 4.1 - Roll out the dough into a 12X12-inch (30.5cmx30.5cm) square – make sure it is even in thickness. Take the butter out of the fridge and place it in the middle of the square at a 45 degree angle. Fold a corner side of the dough over the butter, with the tip of the corner in the middle of the butter (corner side should be triangle-shaped, since the butter is 45 degree diagonal). Repeat with the other other corner sides of the dough, so they all overlap in the center and the butter is totally encased within the dough.

Step 4.2 - Lightly flour your rolling pin and carefully start to roll out the dough (with the butter inside) to a 8x24-inch (20.3cmx61cm) rectangle. Be very gentle when you roll the dough out: apply even pressure and work your way slowly (you don’t want to break the butter into pieces nor squeeze it to the sides – it has to stay enclosed within the dough). Keep it mind that 8-inches (20.3cm) isn’t very wide, so focus on lenghtening the dough to 24-inches (61cm), rolling back and forth, rather then widening it.

Once the dough has reached its intended rectangular size (8x24-inches/20.3cmx61cm rectangle), fold it like a letter lenghtwise (one side on top of the other). Wrap in plastic film and chill for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, take the dough out of the fridge and place it onto the working surface with the “open side” facing you (rotate 90 degrees; see photo right below). Repeat Step 4.2 (rolling to a 8x24-inch (20.3cmx61cm) rectangle and folding) and chill again for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, repeat Step 4.2 one last time, starting again with the open side facing you, and chill for 30 minutes. In total, you complete Step 4.2 three times.

Step 5 – Cutting the dough

After 30 minutes, take the dough out of the fridge and place it onto the working surface with the “open side” facing you again and roll it out to a 8x43.3-inch (20.3cmx110cm) long rectangle. The dough will resist a bit (this is normal). When the dough is its intented size, make sure it isn’t stuck to the working surface by lifting it gently (it will shrink a bit naturally).

Working along one of the long sides of the rectangle, make small cuts in the dough at 5 inch (12.5cm) intervals (you get 7 cuts in total). Working along the other long side of the rectangle, make small cuts at 5 inches (12.5cm) intervals, but starting at 2.5 inches (6.25cm) from the top of the rectangle, so these cuts don’t align with the ones on the other side – this will form the basis of triangles.

Use the pizza cutter and a ruler (or straight object) to make diagonal cuts (joining the top and bottom small cut marks), to create triangular cuts along the length of the dough. Discard of the two end pieces.

Step 6 – Shaping the croissants

Using a sharp knife or your pizza cutter, mark a small ½ inch (2.5cm) cut in the center of the short side of each triangle.

Grab the shorter side, stretch it out slightly and roll it up toward the pointy end. 

Once all rolled up, press gently onto the pointy end to seal the croissant.

Take both ends of the rolled up croissants and slightly bend them to create a crescent shape. 

Step 7 – Proofing

Carefully lift each croissant and arrange them on parchment-lined baking sheets (6 croissants/sheet), leaving enough space between them to expand.

Whisk the egg with the milk and brush a first generous coat of egg wash onto the croissants.

Proof the croissants for 3 hours in a draft-free environment (make sure you read the steps to proofing here). 

Pre-heat your oven to 390°F (199 °C).

When the oven is pre-heated, brush a second coat of egg wash on the croissants.

Step 8 – Baking

Bake for 9 minutes. When the croissants start to become golden, turn the heat down to 370 F(188 °C) and bake for 7 minutes (1 or 2 minutes more/less depending on your oven).

Take the croissants out of the oven. Leave on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, and gently transfer them onto a cooling rack.

If you try this One Day Classic French Croissants, let me know!  Leave a comment or share a photo on Instagram tagging @pardonyourfrench or using #pardonyourfrench. 

You might also want to try: 

• Two Day Classic French Croissants
• Three Day Classic French Croissants

The post One Day Classic French Croissants appeared first on Pardon Your French.

In comparison to my One-Day Classic French Croissants recipe, the crumb of these 2-day croissants is more aerated and offers lovely subtle butter notes. The three-day version of this recipe has more depth in taste and texture, but if you only have two days to spare, this recipe is for you (and you’ll achieve a result very, very close to the real deal!).

Before you start this recipe, make sure to read this post: Classic French Croissants 101 Guide, where I am covering all the essentials you need to know before making croissants for the first time (choice of ingredients, yeast, poolish, laminating, proofing, etc…). 

Summary of the timeline: 

(ie. Start Saturday afternoon and get freshly-baked croissants for Sunday morning)
Day 1: Late Afternoon (4 hours, inc. 2 hours 30 minutes chill time)
Make poolish and dough (30 minutes), refrigerate (1 hour)
Laminate the dough and shape the croissants (2 hours 30 minutes; inc. 1 hour 30 minutes chill time)
Refrigerate until Day 2.
Day 2: Morning (2 hours of proofing and 17 minutes of baking)
Proofing (2 hours), baking (17 min).
Total: 6 hours, over 2 days

The equipment

• Stand Mixer (optional – easier for kneading the dough; but this can be done by hand too)
• Large working surface (ideally, cold marble top)
• Rolling pin
• Ruler or measuring tape (cm or inch)
• Pizza cutter
• Pastry Brush
• Two baking sheets; parchment paper
• Plastic film
•  8×8-inch (20.3×20.3cm) or 9×9-inch (22.9×22.9cm) square pan
• 2 large air-tight containers (able to contain 6 croissants each).

Important note: Making Classic French Croissants is an intermediate to advanced level recipe. It took me several years to get a hang of “laminating” and “proofing”, having several failures along the way. I can’t promise your very first batch of croissants will be a success (mine definitely weren’t). But if you persevere, you will succeed!

Two Day Classic French Croissants

Print Recipe

Prep Time: 2 Days Cooking Time: 17 Minutes 17 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.2/5

( 13 voted )

Ingredients

For the poolish :

½ cup + 2 tsp (140ml) water
1 cup (125g) French Type 55 flour or unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tbsp (17g) Instant yeast

For the dough:

3 cups (375g) French Type 55 flour or unbleached all-purpose flour (+ extra for dusting)
2 ½ tsp (12g) salt
1/3 cup (65g) sugar
½ cup + 2 tsp (140ml) whole milk, cold
2 ¾ tbsp (40g) unsalted butter, at room temperature and cubbed

For laminating:

1 cup (250g) unsalted butter, cold
1 egg + 1 tsp whole milk (egg wash)

Instructions

Make sure you read the Classic-French Croissants 101 before you start this recipe. 

Step 1 – Make the poolish.

In a small sauce pan over low heat, bring the water to a lukewarm temperature and turn off the heat immediately (make sure it doesn’t get any warmer than lukewarm or it will kill the yeast). Stir in the flour and yeast and mix until well incorporated. The mixture should be thick and slightly difficult to mix.

Set aside for 30 minutes. The poolish will expand. It should triple or even quadruple in size, and become spongy with bubbles forming at the top. Photos below: Before and After. 

Step 2 – Make the dough.

Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt and sugar. 

Add the poolish (make sure you scrape the saucepan to get all the poolish into the dough) and the milk. Stir to combine.

Knead in the cubes of butter in three separate additions. Make sure the butter is well incorporated before you incorporate the next addition. 

Knead the dough for 5-6 minutes (in the bowl or you can transfer it to a working surface). The dough should be soft, smooth and slightly sticky. Do not over-knead. The dough shouldn’t be too firm nor elastic.

Cover a 8x8-inch (20.3cmx20.3cm) or 9x9-inch (22.9cmx22.9cm) square pan with plastic film and pat the dough into it. Cover with plastic film and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Step 3 – Prepare the butter

In the meantime, take the butter out of the fridge and cut it into about ½-inch (1.25cm) thick square slices (if using a block of butter – not sticks - this will give you 4 slices).

Lay a large piece of parchment paper on a working surface. Place the slices of butter flat on the paper to form a 5x5-inches (12.7cmx12.7cm) square.

Lay another piece of parchment paper on top. With a rolling pin, roll out the butter to a large 6.5x6.5-inch (16.5cmx16.5cm) square. Peel off the parchment paper, wrap the butter slab in plastic film and chill until needed.

Step 4 – Laminate the dough

After the 1 hour, take the dough out of the fridge. Take it out of the square pan, unwrap it and place it onto a large, lightly floured working surface (ideally, cold marble top / Do not flour it too much or the dough will absorb too much flour and become too stiff.)

Step 4.1 - Roll out the dough into a 12X12-inch (30.5cmx30.5cm) square – make sure it is even in thickness. Take the butter out of the fridge and place it in the middle of the square at a 45 degree angle. Fold a corner side of the dough over the butter, with the tip of the corner in the middle of the butter (corner side should be triangle-shaped, since the butter is 45 degree diagonal). Repeat with the other other corner sides of the dough, so they all overlap in the center and the butter is totally encased within the dough.

Step 4.2 - Lightly flour your rolling pin and carefully start to roll out the dough (with the butter inside) to a 8x24-inch (20.3cmx61cm) rectangle. Be very gentle when you roll the dough out: apply even pressure and work your way slowly (you don’t want to break the butter into pieces nor squeeze it to the sides – it has to stay enclosed within the dough). Keep it mind that 8-inches (20.3cm) isn’t very wide, so focus on lengthening the dough to 24-inches (61cm), rolling back and forth, rather then widening it.

Once the dough has reached its intended rectangular size (8x24-inches/20.3cmx61cm rectangle), fold it like a letter lenghtwise (one side on top of the other). Wrap in plastic film and chill for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, take the dough out of the fridge and place it onto the working surface with the “open side” facing you (rotate 90 degrees; see photo right below). Repeat Step 4.2 (rolling to a 8x24-inch (20.3cmx61cm) rectangle and folding) and chill again for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, repeat Step 4.2 one last time, starting again with the open side facing you, and chill for 30 minutes. In total, you complete Step 4.2 three times.

Step 5 – Cutting the dough

After 30 minutes, take the dough out of the fridge and place it onto the working surface with the “open side” facing you again and roll it out to a 8x43.3-inch (20.3cmx110cm) long rectangle. The dough will resist a bit (this is normal). When the dough is its intented size, make sure it isn’t stuck to the working surface by lifting it gently (it will shrink a bit naturally).

Working along the long side of the rectangle, make small cuts in the dough at 5 inch (12.5cm) intervals (you get 7 cuts in total). Working along the other long side of the rectangle, make small cuts at 5 inches (12.5cm) intervals, but starting at 2.5 inches (6.25cm) from the top of the rectangle, so these cuts don’t align with the ones on the other side – this will form the basis of triangles.

Use the pizza cutter and a ruler (or straight object) to make diagonal cuts (joining the top and bottom small cut marks), to create triangular cuts along the length of the dough. Discard of the two end pieces.

Step 6 – Shaping the croissants

Using a sharp knife or your pizza cutter, mark a small ½ inch (2.5cm) cut in the center of the short side of each triangle.

Grab the shorter side, stretch it out slightly and roll it up toward the pointy end. 

Once all rolled up, press gently onto the pointy end to seal the croissant.

Take both ends of the rolled up croissants and slightly bend them to create a crescent shape. 

Step 7 – Proofing

Carefully lift each croissant and arrange them in parchment lined airtight containers, leaving enough space between them to expand. Close with a lid, and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, transfer the chilled croissants on parchment lined baking sheets, (6 croissants/sheet), leaving enough space between them to expand.

Whisk the egg with the milk and brush a first generous coat of egg wash onto the croissants.

Proof the croissants for 2 hours in a draft-free environment (make sure you read the steps to proofing here). 

Pre-heat your oven to 390°F (199 °C).

When the oven is pre-heated, brush a second coat of egg wash on the croissants.

Step 8 – Baking

Bake for 9 minutes. When the croissants start to become golden, turn the heat down to 370 F(188 °C) and bake for 7 minutes (1 or 2 minutes more/less depending on your oven).

Take the croissants out of the oven. Leave on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, and gently transfer them onto a cooling rack.

If you try this Two Day Classic French Croissants, let me know!  Leave a comment or share a photo on Instagram tagging @pardonyourfrench or using #pardonyourfrench. 

You might also want to try: 

• One Day Classic French Croissants
• Three Day Classic French Croissants

The post Two Day Classic French Croissants appeared first on Pardon Your French.

In comparison to my One-day or Two-day Classic French Croissants recipe, these will have the flakiest outside, most aerated crumb and have the most subtle yet complex buttery taste.

Sparing three days on a recipe can seem intimidating or even overwhelming, but this recipe only truly requires 2 to 2 hours ½ of your active time (depending on how comfortable you are with the technique). After completing this recipe once, you will be much more at ease with the process and can more naturally fit this recipe within your weekend schedule.

Before you start this recipe, make sure to read this post: Classic French Croissants 101 Guide, where I am covering all the essentials you need to know before making croissants for the first time (choice of ingredients, yeast, poolish, laminating, proofing, etc…). 

Summary of the timeline: 

(ie. Start Friday evening, and get freshly-baked croissants for Sunday morning)
Day 1: In the Evening (30 minutes active time, total)
Make the poolish and dough. Refrigerate until Day 2. 
Day 2: Late Afternoon/ Evening (2 hours 30 minutes total, inc. 1 hour 30 minutes of chill time)
Laminate the dough and shape the croissants. Refrigerate until Day 3.
Day 3: Morning (1 hour of proofing and 17 minutes of baking)
Proofing and baking of the croissants
Total: 4 hours, over 3 days

The equipment

• Stand Mixer (optional – easier for kneading the dough; but this can be done by hand too)
• Large working surface (ideally, cold marble top)
• Rolling pin
• Ruler or measuring tape (cm or inch)
• Pizza cutter
• Pastry Brush
• Two baking sheets; parchment paper
• Plastic film
•  8×8-inch (20.3×20.3cm) or 9×9-inch (22.9×22.9cm) square pan
• 2 large air-tight containers (able to contain 6 croissants each).

Important note: Making Classic French Croissants is an intermediate to advanced level recipe. It took me several years to get a hang of “laminating” and “proofing”, having several failures along the way. I can’t promise your very first batch of croissants will be a success (mine definitely weren’t). But if you persevere, you will succeed!

Three Day Classic French Croissants

Print Recipe

Serves: 12 Croissants Prep Time: 3 Days Cooking Time: 17 Minutes 17 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 3.6/5

( 134 voted )

Ingredients

For the poolish :

½ cup + 2 tsp (140ml) water
1 cup (125g) French Type 55 flour or unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tbsp (17g) Instant yeast

For the dough:

3 cups (375g) French Type 55 flour or unbleached all-purpose flour (+ extra for dusting)
2 ½ tsp (12g) salt
1/3 cup (65g) sugar
½ cup + 2 tsp (140ml) whole milk, cold
2 ¾ tbsp (40g) unsalted butter, at room temperature and cubed

For laminating:

1 cup (250g) unsalted butter, cold
1 egg + 1 tsp whole milk (egg wash)

Instructions

Make sure you read the Classic-French Croissants 101 Guide before you start this recipe. 

Step 1 – Make the poolish.

In a small sauce pan over low heat, bring the water to a lukewarm temperature and turn off the heat immediately (make sure it doesn’t get any warmer than lukewarm or it will kill the yeast). Stir in the flour and yeast and mix until well incorporated. The mixture should be thick and slightly difficult to mix.

Set aside for 30 minutes. The poolish will expand. It should triple or even quadruple in size, and become spongy with bubbles forming at the top. Photos below: Before and After. 

Step 2 – Make the dough.

Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt and sugar. 

Add the poolish (make sure you scrape the saucepan to get all the poolish into the dough) and the milk. Stir to combine.

Knead in the cubes of butter in three separate additions. Make sure the butter is well incorporated before you incorporate the next addition. 

Knead the dough for 5-6 minutes (in the bowl or you can transfer it to a working surface). The dough should be soft, smooth and slightly sticky. Do not over-knead. The dough shouldn’t be too firm nor elastic.

Cover a 8x8-inch (20.3cmx20.3cm) or 9x9-inch (22.9cmx22.9cm) square pan with plastic film and pat the dough into it. Cover with plastic film and refrigerate overnight. 

Step 3 – Prepare the butter

In the meantime, take the butter out of the fridge and cut it into about ½-inch (1.25cm) thick square slices (if using a block of butter – not sticks - this will give you 4 slices).

Lay a large piece of parchment paper on a working surface. Place the slices of butter flat on the paper to form a 5x5-inches (12.7cmx12.7cm) square.

Lay another piece of parchment paper on top. With a rolling pin, roll out the butter to a large 6.5x6.5-inch (16.5cmx16.5cm) square. Peel off the parchment paper, wrap the butter slab in plastic film and chill overnight as well. 

Step 4 – Laminate the dough

The next day (afternoon), take the dough out of the fridge. Take it out of the square pan, unwrap it and place it onto a large, lightly floured working surface (ideally, cold marble top / Do not flour it too much or the dough will absorb too much flour and become too stiff.)

Step 4.1 - Roll out the dough into a 12X12-inch (30.5cmx30.5cm) square – make sure it is even in thickness. Take the butter out of the fridge and place it in the middle of the square at a 45 degree angle. Fold a corner side of the dough over the butter, with the tip of the corner in the middle of the butter (corner side should be triangle-shaped, since the butter is 45 degree diagonal). Repeat with the other other corner sides of the dough, so they all overlap in the center and the butter is totally encased within the dough.

Step 4.2 - Lightly flour your rolling pin and carefully start to roll out the dough (with the butter inside) to a 8x24-inch (20.3cmx61cm) rectangle. Be very gentle when you roll the dough out: apply even pressure and work your way slowly (you don’t want to break the butter into pieces nor squeeze it to the sides – it has to stay enclosed within the dough). Keep it mind that 8-inches (20.3cm) isn’t very wide, so focus on lenghtening the dough to 24-inches (61cm), rolling back and forth, rather then widening it.

Once the dough has reached its intended rectangular size (8x24-inches/20.3cmx61cm rectangle), fold it like a letter lenghtwise (one side on top of the other). Wrap in plastic film and chill for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, take the dough out of the fridge and place it onto the working surface with the “open side” facing you (rotate 90 degrees; see photo right below). Repeat Step 4.2 (rolling to a 8x24-inch (20.3cmx61cm) rectangle and folding) and chill again for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, repeat Step 4.2 one last time, starting again with the open side facing you, and chill for 30 minutes. In total, you complete Step 4.2 three times.

Step 5 – Cutting the dough

After 30 minutes, take the dough out of the fridge and place it onto the working surface with the “open side” facing you again and roll it out to a 8x43.3-inch (20.3cmx110cm) long rectangle. The dough will resist a bit (this is normal). When the dough is its intented size, make sure it isn’t stuck to the working surface by lifting it gently (it will shrink a bit naturally).

Working along the long side of the rectangle, make small cuts in the dough at 5 inch (12.5cm) intervals (you get 7 cuts in total). Working along the other long side of the rectangle, make small cuts at 5 inches (12.5cm) intervals, but starting at 2.5 inches (6.25cm) from the top of the rectangle, so these cuts don’t align with the ones on the other side – this will form the basis of triangles.

Use the pizza cutter and a ruler (or straight object) to make diagonal cuts (joining the top and bottom small cut marks), to create triangular cuts along the length of the dough. Discard of the two end pieces.

Step 6 – Shaping the croissants

Using a sharp knife or your pizza cutter, mark a small ½ inch (2.5cm) cut in the center of the short side of each triangle.

Grab the shorter side, stretch it out slightly and roll it up toward the pointy end. 

Once all rolled up, press gently onto the pointy end to seal the croissant.

Take both ends of the rolled up croissants and slightly bend them to create a crescent shape. 

Step 7 – Proofing

Carefully lift each croissant and arrange them in parchment lined airtight containers, leaving enough space between them to expand. Close with a lid, and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, transfer the chilled croissants on parchment lined baking sheets, (6 croissants/sheet), leaving enough space between them to expand.

Whisk the egg with the milk and brush a first generous coat of egg wash onto the croissants.

Proof the croissants for 1 hour in a draft-free environment (make sure you read the steps to proofing here). 

Pre-heat your oven to 390°F (199 °C).

When the oven is pre-heated, brush a second coat of egg wash on the croissants.

Step 8 – Baking

Bake for 9 minutes. When the croissants start to become golden, turn the heat down to 370 F(188 °C) and bake for 7 minutes (1 or 2 minutes more/less depending on your oven).

Take the croissants out of the oven. Leave on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, and gently transfer them onto a cooling rack.

If you try this Three Day Classic French Croissants recipe, let me know!  Leave a comment or share a photo on Instagram tagging @pardonyourfrench or using #pardonyourfrench. 

You might also want to try: 

• One Day Classic French Croissants
• Two Day Classic French Croissants

The post Three Day Classic French Croissants appeared first on Pardon Your French.