Croissants: One Batch of Dough, Three Treats

One dough, three yummy croissants

The Plain Croissant

The Chocolate Croissant

The Croissant Cinnamon Roll

Okay, so I've gotten to the point in my croissant making skills that I can take one batch of dough and make three different things from it. My husband Eddie doesn't like chocolate croissants, but Ezra and I do. Max will eat the cinnamon roll croissants sometimes. Eddie, Ezra and I all enjoy plain croissants to some extent. I, personally, would rather not eat a cinnamon roll ever again. So, to end up with an entire batch of one kind of croissant would displease someone, and I end up throwing away beautiful baked goods. I have tried giving them away, but most of my Midwestern friends don't think I'm serious when I post on Facebook that they can come over and get some. Weird. Really weird. 
At any rate, When I make them this way, they mostly get eaten. Plus it's more fun. So far today I've eaten a chocolate croissant, a plain croissant, and a couple of scrap croissants. My tummy is full and happy.
If you would like to make an entire batch of one or the other of these, here are the links. The recipe below is for those crazy/daring enough to try the three at one time. Have fun!

Croissants

Chocolate Croissants
Croissant Cinnamon Rolls

Croissants: One Batch of Dough, Three Treats

Ingredients:

Dough

• 3 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour,  plus extra for rolling
• 1 tablespoon instant yeast
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole milk, cold
• 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened, but cool
• 2 ½ sticks butter, cut into 1-tablespoon pieces, cold
• 1 tablespoon King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

Filling for Chocolate Croissants

• 12 Dove Dark Chocolate Promises, unwrapped

Filling for Cinnamon Roll Croissants

• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp salt

Egg Wash

• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water

Glaze for Cinnamon Roll Croissants

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2-3 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

The Dough

1.  Whisk 3 cups flour together with the yeast, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl.  Place the milk in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook.  Add the flour mixture and kneed at low speed until a ball of dough forms.  Cut the 2 tablespoons butter into small pieces and add to the dough.  Continue to knead until the butter becomes fully incorporated and the dough becomes smooth, begins to form a ball, and clears the sides of the bowl.  Add up to ¼ cup more flour, one tablespoon at a time if the dough is too sticky.  Place dough in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for one hour.

2. Place the 2 ½ sticks of butter and 1 tablespoon flour into the bowl of a standing mixer with the paddle attachment.  Beat until butter is uniformly smooth and creamy. 

3. Turn dough out onto a floured work surface.  Roll dough into 10 x 14-inch rectangle.  Spread butter evenly over the bottom 2/3 of the rectangle.  Fold unbuttered third onto the middle third.  Brush away excess flour with a clean pastry brush. Then fold that onto the bottom third.  Seal edges with side of your hand. (You have 3 layers.)

4.  Using a rolling pin, gently whack the dough, starting at the center of the dough and go outward.  Then gently roll the dough into about a 7 x 12-inch rectangle, and fold into thirds again.  Make sure that the butter doesn’t break through.  IF it does, sprinkle with flour. Wrap in wax paper and then place in an unsealed gallon size plastic bag. Refrigerate for about 30-45 minutes. (This makes 27 layers now.)

5.  Remove dough from refrigerator and remove from bag/wrap, and on a floured surface, gently whack and roll into a 10 x 14-inch rectangle.  As in step four, fold dough into thirds (81 layers now) and then fold in half one last time. (Now there are 162 layers.) Wrap and refrigerate again for 2 hours to overnight.

6. Place chilled dough on a large floured surface and gently roll dough into a 20-inch square.  Using a pizza cutter and ruler, cut the dough into two equal rectangles. 

*Here is where you have to make a decision about how many of each type of croissant you want. Today I went with 6 plain, 6 chocolate, and 11 cinnamon roll (should have been 12). The cinnamon roll really needs to have half the dough to turn out properly, but if you get into it, you can try different ways of cutting the dough. You might want to refrigerate the dough you're not working with at the moment so it doesn't get too floppy to work with, especially if you're doing this in warmer weather.

Version 1: Plain Croissants

7. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  

8. Cut one of your long rectangles in half lengthwise. Set one aside for the chocolate croissants. Cut your long rectangle into thirds, so you'll have three 5"x6" (approx.) rectangles. Cut each of those diagonally so you end up with 6 right triangles.

9.  Form each croissant by taking a triangle , hold the base in one hand, and the tip in another.  Gently stretch into an isosceles triangle with two sides equal in length.  With the base closest to you, cut a 1/2-inch slit into the center of the base of each triangle.  Fold the two sides of the slit outward and then with both ands, roll the triangle from the base, gently stretching the dough as you roll, leaving ¼ inch of the tip unrolled.  Transfer the croissants to the prepared baking sheets, facing the croissant tips downward.  Bring the ends of the croissants toward each other to form a crescent shape. Cover the croissants loosely with plastic wrap.  Let them rise at room temperature until puffy, about 45-60 minutes.  (They will not double in size.)

10.  Preheat the oven to 400°F.  Beat the egg and water for the egg wash. Brush each croissant gently with the egg wash.  Bake until croissants are golden brown, 15-18 minutes, rotating the baking sheet front to back halfway through baking.  Cool the croissants on a wire rack at least 15 minutes.

Version 2: Chocolate Croissants

7. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

8. Take the other half of the half of dough and cut into six smaller rectangles that will be about 5"x3".

9.  Place two chocolate pieces in a row down the center of each small rectangle.  Fold one side over the chocolate.  Moisten the other edge with a little water, then fold over the chocolate. Brush off excess flour. Transfer the croissants to the prepared baking sheets, seam side down. Cover the croissants loosely with plastic wrap.  Let them rise at room temperature until puffy, about 45-60 minutes.  (They will not double in size)

10.  Preheat the oven to 400°F.  Beat the egg, 1 T sugar, and 1 T water.  When croissants are done rising, place one baking sheet in the refrigerator while you bake the first one.  Brush the croissants with the egg wash.  Bake until croissants are golden brown, 15-18 minutes, rotating the baking sheet front to back halfway through baking.  Cool the croissants on a wire rack at least 30 minutes.

Version 3: Croissant Cinnamon Rolls

7. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Mix the brown sugar, cinnamon and salt with a fork and set aside.   

8. Use the large rectangle that remains. Roll dough out again so it's about 3/8" thick. Evenly spread the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture over the surface of the rectangle, leaving about 1/2 inch clear at one end. Gently press sugar down with the flat palm of your hand. Starting at the edge opposite the unsugared edge, roll the dough into a log. Try to brush away excess flour as your go. Gently pinch the seam to seal.

9.  With a very sharp knife, trip off ends.  Cut log into 12 equal pieces. Place cut rolls on the baking sheet, at least three inches apart. Let rise for 45 minutes, or until rolls are puffed and leave an indentation when gently poked on the side with a finger.

10.  Preheat oven to 400°.  Place one pan in refrigerator until the other is done baking.  Brush with egg wash.  Bake for 13-15 minutes, until a deep golden brown color all over.

11.  Remove pan from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.  Slide parchment with rolls onto wire rack to cool.  Allow to cool at least 10-15 minutes before frosting. 

12.  Whisk glaze ingredients together in a small bowl until smooth. Drizzle over warm, not hot, cinnamon rolls.

Makes 6 plain croissants, 6 chocolate croissants, and 11-12 cinnamon roll croissants

Chocolate croissants being formed.

I baked the plain and chocolate croissants on one pan.