Eating a warm croissant is a special pleasure. The shatter of the crust. The interior is soft and airy. When you add Nutella, you’re eating more than just pastries. Enjoy nostalgia with a luxurious touch. Doing it at home can be scary. That can’t be true. You don’t need a bakery degree. All you need is patience and a well-chilled refrigerator.
This is how you make Nutella croissants that have the same shape and taste as those bought from the top bakeries in Paris.
The Ingredients You’ll Need
Accuracy is important here, but not in a rigid way. You are looking for balance.
1 egg: Separated. The white part goes into the dough. The egg yolk is on top, giving it a golden glow.
* 2.5 cups of milk: Warm, not hot. Hot milk kills the yeast.
* 1 packet of fresh yeast: or an equivalent amount of dry yeast. If you use a small piece of fresh yeast, it should be the size of a matchbox.
* 1 tablespoon of sugar: Enough to feed the yeast.
* 6 cups of flour: All-purpose is fine. Using strong flour makes it chewier.
* Nutella: Sufficient amount to wrap. Don’t be stingy.
* 1 package of margarine or butter: Unsalted, softened. For lamination processing.
* Salt: A small amount. To reduce the sweetness.
Make the dough
Start by mixing the wet base. Heat the milk and dissolve the yeast and sugar. Leave it as it is. It should foam. If it doesn’t foam, the yeast is dead. Restart.
Prepare 6 cups of flour. Strain if possible. Sifting adds air to the flour, resulting in a light crumb. Make a well in the middle. Think of it like a crater.
Pour the yeast mixture into the well. Add egg whites and salt.
Mix now. Do not use a mixer if possible. Use your hands. It takes time, but you will learn the texture faster. Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic. It sticks to the fingers a little, but not enough to cause pain.
Cover the bowl. Let it rest. You are waiting for it to double Depending on the temperature of your kitchen, this can take 1-2 hours.
Lamination process (the hard part)
This is where most people give up. This is also the part that separates a dense bun from a flaky croissant.
When the dough has doubled in size, flatten it. Carefully. Roll it out into a rectangle about 0.5 cm thick.
Take a third of the softened butter (or margarine). Spread it over the dough. Fold the dough like a letter. This is called a “lock-in”.
Chill it. Put it in the freezer for 10 minutes. This causes the fat to solidify. Hard fats form steam pockets when entering the oven. Steam creates lift.
Remove it. Roll it out again. Fold it again. Repeat this process three times.
between each fold