CROISSANT BUTTER RECIPES

Steps:

• Combine butter and 1/3 cup flour in bowl; beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed.
• Line baking sheet with waxed paper. Spread butter mixture into 12x6-inch rectangle on waxed paper. Place another piece of waxed paper over butter mixture. Refrigerate about 1 hour or until firm.
• Combine milk, sugar and salt in 1-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat 4-5 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Cool to lukewarm (105°F to 115°F).
• Place warm water and yeast in bowl; stir until dissolved. Add cooled milk mixture, 2 cups flour and egg. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Stir in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle.
• Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface; knead about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover; let rest 10 minutes.
• Roll dough into 14-inch square. Place chilled butter mixture onto one-half of dough. Fold over other half of dough; seal edges. Roll into 21x12-inch rectangle. Fold into thirds; seal edges. Cover with plastic food wrap; refrigerate 1 hour. Repeat rolling and folding dough 3 times. Cover; refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.
• Roll out dough into 24x14-inch rectangle. Cut rectangle in half lengthwise; cut into 6 even sections, making 12 (7x4-inch) squares. Cut each square diagonally, making 24 triangles. Roll up each triangle loosely, starting from wide edge. Place point down onto greased baking sheets; curve ends. Cover; let rise about 30 minutes or ntil double in size.
• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Beat egg yolk and water in bowl; brush over croissants. Bake 13-16 minutes or until golden brown.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. Stir in milk, salt, sugar, 1 egg, 1 cup flour and melted butter. Beat to make a smooth batter; set aside.
• In a large bowl, cut the one cup firm butter into remaining four cups flour until butter particles are the size of dried kidney beans. Pour the yeast batter over this and carefully turn the mixture over with a spatula to blend, just until all flour is moistened. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours or up to four days.
• Turn dough out onto a floured surface; press into compact balls and knead about 6 turns to release air bubbles. Divide dough into four equal parts. Shape one at a time. Refrigerate the remaining dough.
• Roll one part of the dough on a floured board into a circle 17 inches in diameter. With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the circle into eight equal pie-shaped wedges. Roll the wedges loosely toward the point. Shape each roll into a crescent and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Allow 1 1/2 inches space between each roll.
• Cover and let rise at room temperature until almost doubled in size. Approximately 2 hours. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Brush croissants with beaten egg. Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes, until golden.