Homemade croissants

Here’s a recipe for delicious homemade croissants:

### Homemade Croissants

1. **Ingredients:**

   - 4 cups all-purpose flour

   - 1/2 cup warm water (110°F/45°C)

   - 1/2 cup warm milk (110°F/45°C)

   - 1/4 cup sugar

   - 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)

   - 1 1/2 tsp salt

   - 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

   - 1 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces

   - 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)

2. **Instructions:**

   1. **Prepare the dough:**

      - In a small bowl, combine warm water, warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Stir and let sit for 5-10 minutes until frothy.

      - In a large bowl, mix flour and salt. Add the yeast mixture and melted butter. Mix until a dough forms.

      - Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes until smooth. Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.

   2. **Prepare the butter block:**

      - On a lightly floured surface, roll out the cold butter into a 7-inch square. Place the butter square back in the fridge until ready to use.

   3. **Incorporate the butter:**

      - Punch down the dough and roll it out into a 10-inch square. Place the butter square in the center of the dough square, with the corners of the butter pointing to the sides of the dough square.

      - Fold the corners of the dough over the butter to encase it completely.

      - Roll out the dough into a rectangle about 20x10 inches. Fold the dough into thirds like a letter. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

   4. **Laminate the dough:**

      - Repeat the rolling, folding, and chilling process (rolling into a rectangle, folding into thirds, and refrigerating) two more times.

   5. **Shape the croissants:**

      - After the final chilling, roll out the dough into a large rectangle (20x10 inches). Cut the dough in half lengthwise, then cut each half into triangles.

      - Roll each triangle up from the wide end to the tip to form croissant shapes. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, cover, and let rise for 1-2 hours.

   6. **Bake the croissants:**

      - Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Brush the croissants with the beaten egg.

      - Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and flaky. Let them cool on a wire rack before serving.

Enjoy your homemade croissants, fresh from the oven! 🥐

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