Susan's Croissants

Method

1. Sprinkle yeast on top of water. Sprinkle sugar on top of yeast. Stir gently and let rest until yeast is activated.
2. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and 3 tablespoons of sugar to the milk.
3. Scale out the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl.
4. Roll out the 12 oz. of butter between sheets of waxed paper as shown in the video and chill.
5. Make the dough: Add both the milk and yeast mixtures to the flour and salt. Stir well to incorporate and then knead on a lightly floured surface for 1-2 minutes or until the dough is smooth and looses its stickiness.
6. Cover and rest dough for 30 minutes.
7. Roll dough out (I like to use a pastry cloth) on a lightly floured surface to a 12 X 18 inch rectangle.
8. Mark the dough in thirds and put the butter prepared earlier over two thirds of the dough. Fold one third of the dough over the butter and then fold that over again so that two layers of butter are encased between three layers of dough.
9. Gently press on the exposed edges to seal.
10. Roll the dough out again into a rectangle. Fold into thirds. This is the first fold. Each time you roll and fold, do so in the opposite direction as before.
11. Cover the dough and let rest for 5 minutes. Rest in the refrigerator if the kitchen is warm.
12. Do a second roll and fold and let rest 30 minutes. Repeat for a third fold and let the dough rest covered in the refrigerator for 4 hours to overnight (overnight is better).
13. Roll dough out to a 24 X 18 inch rectangle. Trim edges about ½ inch. Cut and shape croissants as shown in video.
14. Place on parchment lined baking sheets, cover, and let rise almost double in a fairly warm place (about 90 °F, if possible). See my article with pics on making a homemade proof box.
15. Brush with egg wash and bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes, or until nicely browned.
16. Allow to cool on racks. Enjoy! I like to freeze them in plastic bags or containers and then just take out however many I need. Reheat in a toaster or regular oven and they taste fresh baked! I don't recommend microwaving, except to very cautiously defrost.