This recipe guides you through making traditional buttery croissants from scratch, featuring a flaky, layered dough enriched with European butter for a perfect golden finish.
Heat 2/3 cup of whole milk to 80–90 °C (176–194 °F).
Stir in 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar and 1 packet (or 2 1/4 teaspoons) of dry yeast (not instant).
Mix gently and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes until the yeast foams up.
In a bowl, combine 4 cups (480 g) of all-purpose flour, 2 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and 3 tablespoons of sugar.
Add the foamy yeast mixture and 1/2 cup of cold water to the dry ingredients.
Add 4 tablespoons of very soft European butter and mix on low speed for about 1 minute until the dough begins to come together.
Turn the dough onto plastic wrap and shape it into a roughly 1.3 cm thick square. Wrap tightly.
Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes to rest.
Meanwhile, prepare the butter block by cutting 1 1/4 cups of cold European butter into 20 tablespoon-sized pieces.
Arrange the butter pieces in a 4x5 grid on parchment paper. Cover with a second sheet of parchment and roll it into a square about 25x25 cm and roughly 3 mm thick.