Authentic Croissant Recipe France, Europe

One of the true classics of French cuisine, croissants are not at all easy to make, but the result — if done right — is truly worth the trouble. This crescent-shaped pastry is usually made with puff pastry dough, but alternatively, it can also be made with leavened dough. A classic croissant is on the verge of sweet and savory, and it can either be plain or filled with chocolate, jam, cheese, ham, or raisins, although a filled version could not be considered a true croissant. The process starts with mixing the yeast with some milk and flour and leaving it to rise. Next, the yeast is combined with flour, sugar, salt, and the remaining milk, and kneaded by hand or with a mixer until it becomes homogenous. The dough is then left to rise from 2 up to 48 hours under a plastic foil until it doubles in volume. Then, the dough is kneaded once again, rolled into a rectangle, and processed using a technique called turning. A piece of butter is placed in the middle of the rectangle ... Read more