Croissant Recipe Mary Berry Food

CROISSANTS

Steps:

• Place dough on a lightly floured work surface; cover and let stand until butter is slightly softened, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Roll dough out to a about a 10-by-18-inch rectangle. Cut rectangle in half crosswise. Wrap one half with plastic wrap and transfer to refrigerator. Place remaining half on a large (about 18-by-25-inches) piece of parchment paper. Roll into a 16-by-20-inch rectangle, stopping to chill dough as necessary if butter becomes too soft; transfer to a large baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Transfer baking sheet to refrigerator and chill until firm, about 30 minutes. Repeat process with remaining piece of dough.
• Transfer one piece of dough to a lightly floured work surface so that one of the longer sides is facing you. Halve dough lengthwise to make two 8-by-20-inch rectangles.
• Using a pizza cutter, trim a scant 1/8 inch from top and bottom of each rectangle of dough. Working quickly, use the pizza cutter to mark 5-inch increments along the bottom (side closest to you) edge of each dough half. Working from left to right, measure 2 1/2 inches on the top of each half and make a mark using the pizza cutter. Continue along the top edges, marking at 5-inch increments until you reach the end of the dough.
• Using a ruler, cut dough into triangles with a 5-inch base, reserving any dough that is not in a triangle shape. You should have 14 triangles total plus additional scrap dough. Gently stretch triangles to make them 1 1/2 times their length.
• Working with 1 triangle of dough at a time, position dough triangle on work surface so that the point is furthest from you. Starting at the base, gently roll dough away from you, stretching the point as you go, with fingers or a rolling pin; secure point underneath roll. Curve ends away from you to make a crescent shape.
• Line baking sheets with parchment paper; place 4 crescents on each prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl, whisk egg together with 1 teaspoon water. Brush tops of crescents with egg mixture, reserving remaining egg mixture. Place 3 narrow drinking glasses, upside-down, between crescents; cover well with plastic wrap, making sure plastic does not touch dough. Let stand in a warm place until doubled in size and crescents feel hollow when gently touched, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Uncover and remove glasses from baking sheets; brush croissants lightly with remaining egg mixture (reserving remaining for second piece of dough). Transfer to oven and bake until puffed and golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Repeat steps 3 through 9 with remaining piece of refrigerated dough.

VERY BERRY CROISSANTS

Steps:

• For the almond cream: Add the butter, almond paste, rum, flour, almond extract and egg to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside.
• For the streusel: Add the butter, flour, oats, turbinado sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse until the ingredients become a coarse crumb and set aside.
• To build: Cut each croissant in half lengthwise and place cut-side up on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Brush the cut sides of the croissants with the simple syrup, about 1 teaspoon per half. Equally distribute the almond cream on the croissants followed by the blueberries, and sprinkle the streusel over the top.
• Freeze, uncovered, until totally set, at least 2 hours.
• Remove from the freezer and wrap individually in plastic wrap (to keep the toppings on), then place in large plastic bags.
• To serve: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Take the croissants out of the plastic bags, remove the plastic wrap, place on a baking sheet and bake until the almond cream has set and the streusel is golden, 15 to 17 minutes.
• Remove from the oven. Sprinkle with the powdered sugar and serve hot or at room temperature.
• Pour 1 cup water into a saucepan and add the granulated sugar. Stir and place the saucepan over medium heat.
• By the time the edges start to simmer, the sugar should have dissolved and the liquid should be completely clear, not cloudy. Immediately remove from the heat and cool completely.
• Store the simple syrup in an airtight container, in the fridge, until ready to use. Simple syrup stays fresh up to 4 weeks.

BAKED CROISSANT BLUEBERRY FRENCH TOAST WITH CRISPY PECANS

Steps:

• For the French toast: Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Arrange the croissant halves in the baking dish. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, half-and-half, nutmeg, vanilla, Grand Marnier, orange zest, 1/4 cup brown sugar, white sugar and salt. Pour this mixture over the croissants. Cover the baking dish and chill until all of the liquid is absorbed, at least 2 hours.
• For the topping: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a shallow baking pan, spread the pecans evenly and toast until fragrant, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and toss pecans with the 1 teaspoon butter and salt.
• Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees F. Sprinkle the blueberries evenly over the croissant mixture. Melt 1/4 cup butter with 1/4 cup brown sugar, stirring until the butter is melted. Drizzle this mixture over the baking dish and bake for 20 inutes, or until the liquid from the blueberries is bubbling.
• For the blueberry syrup: In a small saucepan, cook blueberries and maple syrup over moderate heat until berries have burst, about 3 minutes. Pour syrup through a sieve; stir in the lemon juice.
• Sprinkle the croissant French toast with toasted pecans. Serve with the syrup.

CROISSANTS

Steps:

• Put the flour, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl. Measure 300ml cold water into a jug, add the yeast and stir. Make a well in the flour and pour in the liquid. Mix, then knead on your work surface for 10 mins. Shape into a ball, put in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and chill for at least 2 hrs.
• Put the butter between 2 sheets of baking parchment. Using a rolling pin, bash and roll it into a rectangle about 20 x 15cm. Leave wrapped in the baking parchment and chill.
• Transfer the chilled dough to a floured surface and roll into a 40 x 20cm rectangle. Place the unwrapped slab of butter in the centre of the dough, so that it covers the middle third.
• Fold one side of the dough up and halfway over the butter.
• Fold the other side of the dough up and over the butter in the same way, so that the two edges of the dough meet in the centre of the butter.
• Fold the dough in half so that the point where the ends of the dough meet becomes the seam. Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 mins.
• Repeat the rolling, folding and chilling process (steps 3-6) twice more in exactly the same way - rolling the pastry while it's still folded - without adding more butter. Wrap and chill overnight.
• The next day, roll the dough out on a floured surface into a large rectangle, measuring about 60 x 30cm. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, trim the edges to neaten.
• Cut the dough in half lengthways so that you have 2 long strips, then cut each strip into 6 or 7 triangles with 2 equal sides.
• Take each triangle in turn and pull the two corners at the base to stretch and widen it.
• Starting at the base of each triangle, begin to gently roll into a croissant, being careful not to crush the dough.
• Continue rolling, making sure the tip of each triangle ends up tucked under the croissant to hold in place. If adding any fillings (see tips, below), place across the widest part of the triangle before rolling up.
• Bend the ends of the croissants inwards, then transfer to baking trays lined with baking parchment, spaced well apart. Cover with lightly oiled cling film and leave to rise for 2 hrs, or until doubled in size.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Mix the beaten egg with a pinch of salt and use to generously glaze the croissants. Bake for 15-18 mins until risen and golden brown, then cool on wire racks.

BLUEBERRY CROISSANTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a bowl, combine blueberries with granulated sugar until berries are coated. Set aside.
• Unroll crescent rolls into 8 triangles. On the shortest side of each triangle, place 1 teaspoon fruit spread in the center. Press two tablespoons of blueberry mixture into fruit spread. Roll dough and fruit up along the length of the triangle.
• Whisk together egg white and water. Brush rolls with egg wash, and sprinkle with cane sugar. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden.