Rich Crescent Rolls
I was doing a cooking camp with kids and they wanted to make croissants. I grew up with a father who was a baker. I have made traditional croissants. Yeast dough rolled out- then topped with a sheet of butter. Rolled, folded, chilled. Repeated many times to create those wonderful, flaky layers.
With time constraints, I ended up teaching the kids to make these rolls, instead. Not quite what you get in true croissants, but very tender and flaky, too. The secret is butter cut into flour- the same way you incorporate fat into biscuits or pie crust. Then a yeast/milk mixture is stirred in and a batter is created. It is chilled overnight and when rolled out, the dough is brushed with more butter and shaped into the crescent shape of traditional croissants. Really easy, compared to the original, and a pretty good roll, too.
Easy “Croissants”
1 package active dry yeast
1 c. very warm water
¾ c. evaporated milk
1 t. salt
1/3 c. sugar
1 egg
5 c. flour
4 T. melted butter, cooled
1 c. firm butter
Additional melted butter for brushing
1 egg beaten with 1 T. water
Dissolve yeast in water. Stir in milk, salt, sugar, egg and one cup
of flour. Beat into a smooth batter and stir in melted butter. Set
aside. With pastry blender cut firm butter into remaining flour until
particles are the size of small peas. Stir in milk mixture gently, until
all flour in moistened. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours.
Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead a few strokes. Divide
into fourths and roll each into a circle. Divide circle into 8 pieces
and brush with melted butter. Starting at wide end roll up loosely and
place on greased baking sheet with point tucked under. Allow 2-3 inched
between rolls and curve slightly into an arc, if desired. Cover with a
towel and allow to rise in a warm place for at least 2 hours or until
nearly doubled. Brush with egg wash just before baking. Bake in a
325-degree oven for 35 minutes or until golden. Brush again with butter.
Makes 32.
Note: You can add up to 2 cups of whole wheat flour in place of 2 cups of the white flour for whole wheat croissants. You can also brush the dough with fruit preserves instead of butter before rolling up, or you can sprinkle with chopped chocolate or cinnamon sugar and roll up.
Roll dough into a circle
Brush with melted butter
Cut dough into wedges and roll up
