Mimicking the crisp, flaky texture of croissants, these Croissant French Bread loaves are all the pieces you like about puff pastry with out the intensive time and labor. The layers of buttery goodness rise all through the size of the baguettes, making a golden-brown crust meant for tearing and sharing.
Croissant French Bread
Makes 2 (14-inch) loaves
- All-purpose flour, for dusting
- Yeasted Tough Puff Pastry (recipe follows)
- 1 massive egg, (50 grams)
- 1 tablespoon (15 grams) water
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Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
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On a evenly floured floor, roll Yeasted Tough Puff Pastry right into a 12×8½-inch rectangle (about ¼ inch thick). Lower rectangle in half lengthwise, creating 2 (12×4¼-inch) rectangles. Holding every brief finish of 1 rectangle, tightly twist in reverse instructions twice, gently pulling to elongate right into a tapered baguette form. Gently pinch ends, and place on a ready pan. Repeat with remaining dough rectangle. Cowl loosely with plastic wrap, and let rise in a heat, draft-free place (75°F/24°C) till puffed, 1 to 1½ hours.
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Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
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In a small bowl, whisk collectively egg and 1 tablespoon (15 grams) water. Utilizing a pastry brush, evenly brush egg wash onto 1 baguette. (Don’t brush remaining loaf till able to bake.)
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Bake, one loaf at a time, till puffed and golden brown, 13 to 18 minutes. Let cool on pan on a wire rack for quarter-hour. Take away from pan, and let cool fully on a wire rack.
Yeasted Tough Puff Pastry
Makes 2 (15-inch) Danish or 2 (14-inch) loaves
- 3 tablespoons (45 grams) water
- 3 tablespoons (36 grams) granulated sugar, divided
- 1¼ teaspoons (3.5 grams) active dry yeast*
- 2¼ cups (286 grams) bread flour
- 1¾ teaspoons (5.25 grams) kosher salt
- ½ cup (113 grams) plus 3 tablespoons (42 grams) chilly unsalted butter, cubed
- ½ cup (120 grams) chilly complete milk
- All-purpose flour, for dusting
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In a small microwave-safe bowl, stir collectively 3 tablespoons (45 grams) water and ½ teaspoon (2 grams) sugar; warmth on excessive in 10-second intervals till an instant-read thermometer registers 110°F (43°C) to 115°F (46°C). Whisk in yeast till nicely mixed. Let stand till foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.
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Within the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat bread flour, salt, and remaining 2 tablespoons plus 2½ teaspoons (34 grams) sugar at low velocity till mixed. Add 3 tablespoons (42 grams) chilly butter; beat till combination resembles coarse bread crumbs, about 3 minutes. Add remaining ½ cup (113 grams) chilly butter; beat simply till butter is coated with flour.
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Add chilly milk to yeast combination. With mixer on low velocity, add yeast combination to flour combination in a gradual, regular stream, beating simply till a shaggy dough comes collectively. (There’ll nonetheless be massive items of butter.)
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Frivolously mud work floor with all-purpose flour. End up dough onto ready floor, and form right into a tough 5-inch sq.. (Dough can be gentle and barely sticky.) Wrap in plastic wrap, and freeze for half-hour.
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Frivolously mud work floor with all-purpose flour. End up dough onto ready floor, and roll right into a 10×5-inch rectangle, evenly dusting floor and high of dough with all-purpose flour as wanted. (See Word.) Fold dough in half so brief sides meet. Pat fold to mark middle. Unfold dough, and pull one brief aspect to middle. Pull reverse aspect to middle so brief sides are touching. Pinch seams collectively; fold alongside middle seam, like closing a guide. (That is referred to as a book-fold.) Rotate dough 90 levels; repeat rolling and folding process as soon as to finish second book-fold. (Dough will begin out gentle, tough, and considerably sticky however will come collectively; flip dough over as wanted so edges are rolled out as evenly as attainable.) Wrap in plastic wrap, and freeze for quarter-hour.
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Repeat rolling, folding, and rotating process twice (a complete of 4 book-folds). Wrap dough in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at the very least 1½ hours or as much as in a single day.
SHAPING CROISSANT FRENCH BREAD
Holding the brief ends of 1 rectangle, tightly twist one aspect of the dough two instances. Repeat with the opposite aspect, twisting the dough in the wrong way. Gently pull on the dough to elongate the baguette right into a tapered form. Pinch each ends of the baguette to assist it preserve its form whereas baking.
