Tuesday 8 November 2011

To croissant or not

Well I've found a little energy at 6.30, finally! don't know where its come from but it has.
What to do with it, well not quite up to Jewelry making at this time of night, and the light isn't right for sewing, so I've decided to bake.
Hmm Croissants, does anyone else eat them, cook them or just plain hate them, I've not tried them yet, when its something I've never had i like to make my own first so i know what goes into them... I'm kind of strange like that.
Now when hubby and I was on our anniversary break in September ... Our 30 years! ha! it was a doddle lol hmmm.
He tried some croissants and enjoyed them, now baring in mind, its been a while since I did any baking, these looked easy enough to make, but only time will tell, I am using an old recipe from a book published in 1973  but I have changed just a little of the recipe.
The original recipe is just for plain croissants but I cant just do plain, can I? here is the recipe used with my changes in * *
1oz fresh or 1/2 oz dried yeast
3/4 pint of milk & water mixed  and warmed,  *I used 1/2 milk 1/4 water*
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/4 pound strong flour ( bread flour)
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 oz melted butter
8 oz butter *I used 5 oz*
beaten egg to glaze

Blend the fresh yeast with the sugar and mix with the milk and water, or sprinkle your dried yeast onto your milk, water and sugar, leave for 10 Min's until frothy
Sieve the flour and salt into your mixing bowl, add the yeast liquid and melted butter
Knead lightly to form a smooth dough then leave in the refrigerator for 30 Min's. ( i put my dough into an already cooled clean dish and popped a freezer bag over the top, and placed that in the fridge).

Divide the 8 oz butter into 3 pieces
**Roll out the dough into a oblong, about 21 x 7 inches
Dot one piece of butter onto 2/3 of the dough
fold over 1/3 that has no butter onto half of that which has butter
Fold the remaining 1/3 with butter on top of this ( think envelope ish )
Place bag into the fridge for around 10 -15 Min's**
Do this with the remaining butter twice more **



Divide the dough into 4 pieces and roll each piece into an oblong 18 x 9 inches, and cut each into 5 triangles.



Here is where you need to add your jam or chocolate spread cheese or whatever you choose to use, just add a small amount  to the center at the widest edge. ( base)


Roll each piece up from the base to the point, ( this puts your added ingredient into the center), then turn the ends round to form a crescent.
I did 4 different versions, cheese, chocolate, jam and plain, so i shaped them all different so i could tell them apart.
Place on a greased baking trays, cover with greased clingfilm or food bag and leave to rise for 15-20 Min's.
Brush with beaten egg
Bake at 450F Gas 8 for 10-15 Min's
Allow to cool and eat or freeze if you like

If frozen just pop them onto a baking tray and warm them through about 5-10 Min's, then enjoy.
Now I don't know what these taste like, but my hubby is very honest and I await him to do the taste test, and if they are Carp he will tell me. If they look and smell OK when he's tried them, i might just try them myself :)
I hope you found my blog interesting and it has inspired the cook in you ;)

3 comments:

  1. Well the taste test in done, My hubby tried the plain and the Jam, even my son enjoyed two of the chocolate ones and he's very hard to please. their verdicts
    Hubby :- plain one needs alittle more butter, Jam one is beautiful
    Son :- Chocolate ones need more chocolate, but they are nice.
    Me :- yes i tried the plain :- mmmmmm, the jam Oh! the cheese :- yum yum :-)
    I will just need to add more butter for the plain, more Chocolate as for the others (thumbs up) but thats just our verdict, if anyone else tries this recipe please let me know how you get on.
    Jax x

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  2. They look very good, I love croissants but am not brave enough to try to make them! I might be inspired to give them a go from your recipe though.

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  3. Hi Lisa
    Be brave give them a go, mine are the low-er fat option ;-)
    Maybe you could share when your made then :)

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