Croissant Bread

Like many, I love croissants but have never had the desire to make my own. A while ago this recipe popped up on my computer screen, and it was so intriguing I determined to make it as soon as possible. It met my expectations, and even Wayne announced it as quite delicious. It's definitely something we'll have again!

It's a little funky looking, but that didn't affect its taste.

Croissant Bread

• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups warm water
• 1 tablespoon yeast
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 4 1/2 to 5 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Fold parchment paper to make a pocket about 8-1/2 by 7 inches. (See the original recipe and this will make more sense.) Cut the cold butter into pieces, place on parchment paper, fold over, then pound and roll until the butter is a slab encased within the paper. Chill.

Soften the yeast in the warm water. Add sugar, half of the flour, and salt; mix to combine. Knead in remaining flour. The dough needs to be soft and a bit sticky, but not too soft and sticky! Let rise for one hour.

Roll the dough out to a rectangle about 11 by 18 inches. Place the cold slab of butter in the center. Fold over both short sides, pinch the edges closed, then fold in half. Roll out to a rectangle about 18 by 22 inches. (Let dough set for a few minutes to relax if necessary.) Fold short sides to meet in middle, then fold in half again the same direction. Let rest a couple minutes, then roll into a 12-inch square.

Cut into four strips. Twist each one 3-4 times and place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet, two per pan. Let rise in a cool spot until doubled in size, or for several hours in the refrigerator. (You don't want the butter to melt before baking.)

Preheat oven to 375 or 400 degrees. Bake bread for 18-22 minutes. Remove from oven and brush butter that seeped out over the top. Serve warm.

Because it's just the two of us, I made half a recipe. That meant there was room for it to rise in the refrigerator. This had a delicious light and crispy crust and a delightfully soft interior. It was quite buttery, maybe too buttery. (Keep your napkin handy.) But that meant someone believed me when I said he didn't need to add more butter with his jam! Someday we'll try the chocolate and cinnamon versions and I also plan on experimenting with adding wheat flour. I'll try to remember to keep you posted on our efforts.