Authentic Croissant Recipe France, Europe
JUMP TO RECIPEWe strongly advise you to read the cooking tips before jumping to the recipe though
Introduction & history
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
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Cooking tips
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pastry
Even though some recipes suggest using the frozen, pre-made puff pastry, real croissants should be made from scratch. Making the puff pastry is a time-consuming and lengthy process: do not skip or shorten the stages in which the dough is supposed to rest or rise: some recipes even suggest 48-hour preparation. Make at least four turns of the dough to ensure it is properly laminated. Do not press the ... Read more -
yeast
Both fresh and dry yeast can be used for preparing the puff pastry, but they need to be diluted in some tepid milk and left to rise before proceeding with kneading the dough. Make sure to rise the yeast at room temperature since it will not rise properly otherwise. -
butter
It is essential that the butter is at room temperature while preparing the puff pastry: cold butter will not distribute properly and will cause the dough to be stiff. While baking, particles of butter melt and release steam, which creates small pockets called alveoli and gives the puff pastry its distinctive flakiness. Use the best butter you can find, ideally with at least 84% milk fat. Some recipes ... Read more -
rolling
To roll the croissant, place the triangle-shaped piece of dough so the point is facing away from you. Make a small incision in the center of the base and start rolling from the base towards the top. If you are preparing filled croissants, add the filling (chocolate or jam are most common) after you have rolled the first quarter of the triangle. Continue rolling and tuck the top of the triangle into ... Read more -
glazing
Croissants are usually glazed with whisked egg yolk diluted with some water or milk: apply this mixture gently, using a brush, and make sure you distribute it evenly over the entire surface. -
baking
A steady oven temperature of 180˚C/350°F with 65-70% humidity is what leads to perfectly baked croissants. Do not open the oven doors while baking because the puff pastry will deflate.
Recipe variations
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Larousse Gastronomique's Croissants With Leavened Dough
Ready in 4h 40minAdapted from The New Larousse Gastronomique cookbook, this recipe offers an alternative approach to the classic puff pastry croissants. In this version, they are prepared with leavened dough which makes the process significantly shorter.
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Classic Puff Pastry Croissants
Ready in 6h 10minThis recipe was adapted from Cuisine Larousse website and gives instructions for preparing classic, puff-pastry French croissants from scratch using the turning technique. Make sure you start the preparation on time since the dough needs to rest for 5 hours overall.
Larousse Gastronomique's Croissants With Leavened Dough
PREP 20min
COOK 20min
RESTING 4h
READY IN 4h 40min
Adapted from The New Larousse Gastronomique cookbook, this recipe offers an alternative approach to the classic puff pastry croissants. In this version, they are prepared with leavened dough which makes the process significantly shorter.
Ingredients
Croissants With Leavened Dough
500g (1.1 lb) flour
20g (1 tbsp + 1 tsp) dry yeast
pinch of salt
200g (3/4 cup + 2 tbsp) butter
200 ml (3/4 cup + 4 tsp) milk + a little extra to mix with yeast
3 tbsp potato flour
1/2 l (4 cups + 4 tsp) boiled water
Preparation
Croissants With Leavened Dough
First, sift the flour, transfer it to a working surface and make a well in the middle.
Place the yeast in the well and pour a little lukewarm milk over it. Mix it with one-quarter of the flour and leave to rise.
Add salt, butter, and 200 ml (3/4 cup + 4 tsp) of milk and knead the dough until it is homogeneous. Moisten with some milk if necessary: keep in mind that the dough should be firm. Shape it into a ball, cover with a cloth and leave to rise.
Next, cut the dough into egg-sized pieces. Roll each piece into an oval using a rolling pin and then roll it up so it forms a crescent.
Now, arrange the croissants on a baking tin covered with parchment. Leave them to rise, and then brush with some milk.
Bake the croissants in a hot oven until golden. Mix the potato flour and boiled water and use it to moisten the croissants as soon as they are ready.
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