I've been meaning to try home-made croissants for awhile, but the recipes I've found generally call for refrigerating the dough anywhere from 8-24 hours and I keep forgetting to plan ahead. The other day I did find a recipe that had a two hour refrigeration time and two hour rise time so I tried (even though I only had 4 hours total to get everything together....probably not the smartest idea I've ever had).
The recipe called for optional fillings for crescent croissants of almond paste and applesauce or chocolate chips. The recipe made 36 rolls, so I made 4 pans of 8 with the following fillings: chocolate chips, cream cheese and chocolate chips, applesauce, and bananas and chocolate chips.
After starting and realizing I would be crunched for time, I opted to put the dough in the freezer for 20 minutes and then in the fridge for about an hour (instead of two hours in the fridge). I also shortened my rise time by baking them when I thought they looked like they were done rising instead of waiting the recommended two hours.
The resulting croissants tasted wonderful, but I wouldn't give them many points for appearance. First off, they didn't brown well (next time I'll try an egg wash). Second, they seemed to have flattened while baking. I'm not sure if this is a result of shortened fridge and rising times or if I didn't roll them tight enough. Things to keep in mind for next time I suppose.
Aside from looks, the flavor and texture was wonderful. I couldn't have hoped for a lighter density or more buttery taste. I also really liked all four fillings, as did most people who tried them.
Despite being time consuming in general, I think I'm going to enjoy experimenting with these. I've made tons of bread, but croissants are entirely new- it would be great if I could use some tips from this recipe for softer bread in the future too.
-Beth
The recipe called for optional fillings for crescent croissants of almond paste and applesauce or chocolate chips. The recipe made 36 rolls, so I made 4 pans of 8 with the following fillings: chocolate chips, cream cheese and chocolate chips, applesauce, and bananas and chocolate chips.
After starting and realizing I would be crunched for time, I opted to put the dough in the freezer for 20 minutes and then in the fridge for about an hour (instead of two hours in the fridge). I also shortened my rise time by baking them when I thought they looked like they were done rising instead of waiting the recommended two hours.
Aside from looks, the flavor and texture was wonderful. I couldn't have hoped for a lighter density or more buttery taste. I also really liked all four fillings, as did most people who tried them.
Despite being time consuming in general, I think I'm going to enjoy experimenting with these. I've made tons of bread, but croissants are entirely new- it would be great if I could use some tips from this recipe for softer bread in the future too.
-Beth
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