Somebody PLEASE please put me out of my misery! [Archive]

Brandi

04-28-2008, 10:15 AM

Hmm, do you have the refrigerated biscuits there? Here in the US we have the "homestyle" biscuits which are like a fluffy/normal type of biscuit, then we have another kind that is "flaky layers" which is a more layered biscuit, rather than a fluffy one.

If you can find the flaky layers kind, I am pretty sure that would substitute well for the crescents. They aren't *exactly* the same, but they are pretty close or would at least bake up to be pretty close.

Here are a couple recipes I found also:

This is a basic recipe:
1 cup milk
1 tbsp butter (first amount)
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 pkg dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
2 1/2 cup unbleached flour
1 cup cold butter (second amount)

Combine milk, first amount of butter, sugar and salt in a small pot and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.

While mixture is cooling, dissolve the yeast in the water and add it to the milk. Place the liquid in a mixer and add the flour. Using the dough hook, mix until the dough is elastic and sticky.

Place in a bowl, cover and let rise until double in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours. Place in refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes.

While recipe croissant dough is chilling, soften the remaining cold butter by pounding with a rolling pin.

Roll the dough on a floured board to form a 1/4-inch thick rectangle. Spread the butter over 2/3 of the rectangle closest to you. Fold the unbuttered third over the center third. Then fold the bottom 1/3 over the doubled portion. Swing the dough around a quarter turn. Roll it again into a 1/4-inch thick oblong. Fold again in thirds.

Cover the dough and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours or more. When the dough is chilled, remove from the refrigerator and repeat the folding and turning twice more. Then roll the dough to 1/4-inch thickness once more. Cut the dough into 3-inch squares then cut the squares on the bias to form two triangles. Roll each triangle beginning with the wide side, then shape the rolls into crescents. Place on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Leave enough room for each croissant to triple in size. Chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator before baking.

Preheat oven to 400F. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350F and continue to bake another 15 minutes.

Remove recipe croissant from the oven. Cool and enjoy.

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This is an easier version:

Recipe Croissant #2 -- an Easy Recipe
1 cup warm milk
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp yeast
1 cup flour
3/4 cup milk at room temperature
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar (second amount)
1 beaten egg
1/2 cups melted and cooled butter
4 cups flour
1 cup cold butter (second amount)
1 egg beaten with cold water for wash

Stir warm milk and sugar together. Add yeast then let stand 10 minutes. Stir well. Add flour; beat well. Add milk, sugar and egg. Beat until smooth. Add butter; beat and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, place the 4 cups of flour and the chilled butter. Cut butter into flour until pieces are the size of beans (not too small). Pour the liquid batter into the flour mixture; stir until moistened. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Remove from refrigerator. Press into a compact ball on a floured board and divide into 4 parts. Roll each into a circle 12" or 16". Cut each circle into 6 or 8 pie-shaped wedges. For each croissant, roll a wedge towards the point. Shape into a crescent and place on ungreased baking sheet. Let rise at room temperature until doubled. This could take in excess of two hours.

Brush each with egg beaten with cold water. Preheat oven to 400 F. Place croissants in oven. Lower temperature to 350 F and bake recipe croissant for 15 - 20 minutes until golden.

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And another one that got pretty good reviews:

INGREDIENTS

* 1 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
* 3 tablespoons warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
* 1 teaspoon white sugar
* 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons white sugar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
* 2/3 cup warm milk
* 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 2/3 cup unsalted butter, chilled
* 1 egg
* 1 tablespoon water

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine yeast, warm water, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Allow to stand until creamy and frothy.
2. Measure flour into a mixing bowl. Dissolve 2 teaspoons sugar and salt in warm milk. Blend into flour along with yeast and oil. Mix well; knead until smooth. Cover, and let rise until over triple in volume. Deflate gently, and let rise again until doubled. Deflate and chill 20 minutes.
3. Massage butter until pliable, but not soft and oily. Pat dough into a 14 x 8 inch rectangle. Smear butter over top two thirds, leaving 1/4 inch margin all around. Fold unbuttered third over middle third, and buttered top third down over that. Turn 90 degrees, so that folds are to left and right. Roll out to a 14 x 6 inch rectangle. Fold in three again. Sprinkle lightly with flour, and put dough in a plastic bag. Refrigerate 2 hours. Unwrap, sprinkle with flour, and deflate gently. Roll to a 14 x 6 inch rectangle, and fold again. Turn 90 degrees, and repeat. Wrap, and chill 2 hours.
4. To shape, roll dough out to a 20 x 5 inch rectangle. Cut in half crosswise, and chill half while shaping the other half. Roll out to a 15 x 5 inch rectangle. Cut into three 5 x 5 inch squares. Cut each square in half diagonally. Roll each triangle lightly to elongate the point, and make it 7 inches long. Grab the other 2 points, and stretch them out slightly as you roll it up. Place on a baking sheet, curving slightly. Let shaped croissants rise until puffy and light. In a small bowl, beat together egg and 1 tablespoon water. Glaze croissants with egg wash.
5. Bake in a preheated 475 degrees F (245 degrees C) oven for 12 to 15 minutes.

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I think croissants can be really tricky when you're trying to make the perfect flaky recipe, so you'll need to be patient and careful with the dough, or it'll end up :sick I am NOT good with these kinds of recipes, but hopefully this will help you a little bit.