Master the iconic French butter croissant with this recipe from award-winning pastry chef Antonio Bachour. With detailed guidance on lamination, shaping, and proofing, this step-by-step method delivers perfectly golden, flaky results every time.
How to Make Antonio Bachour's Buttery Croissants
01.
Make Butter Croissant Dough
- In a mixer fitted with a hook attachment, combine bread flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, salt, milk, and butter. Mix on low speed for 3 minutes.
- Add the yeast and continue mixing for 15 minutes.
- Test elasticity—the dough should stretch without tearing.
- Prepare a large bowl with nonstick spray. Place the dough inside, cover, and let rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
- Refrigerate overnight.
02.
Butter Block for Lamination
- Place the butter between two sheets of parchment paper.
- Using a rolling pin, pound and flatten it from left to right until you have a rectangle 4 mm thick.
- Wrap and refrigerate.
03.
Laminate Croissant Dough
- The next day, roll out the rested dough and place the butter rectangle on the upper half. Fold the dough over the butter (a simple fold).
- Roll slightly wider with a rolling pin or machine. Turn the dough sideways and roll to 4 mm thick. Fold the upper half to the center, fold the lower half two times toward the center, then fold both halves together.
- Wrap and freeze for 1 hour.
04.
Finish the Dough
- Remove from the freezer and roll to 3 mm thick and 35 cm wide.
- Fold horizontally to mark the center, then cut lengthwise and stack both halves.
- Using a bicycle cutter or knife, mark and cut triangles. Each triangle should be 8 x 35 cm, 3 mm thick, and weigh 70 grams.
- Transfer to a sheet pan, wrap, and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
05.
Egg Wash
- Whisk all ingredients for the egg wash together in a medium bowl.
06.
Bake
- Preheat a proofing box to 82°F. Prepare two sheet pans with nonstick spray and parchment paper.
- Roll the croissants and place on prepared pans, spacing about 2.5 inches apart. Brush with egg wash. Proof in the box for about 2 hours.
- Preheat a convection oven to 350°F.
- After 2–3 hours, brush croissants again with egg wash.
- Bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown.
- Cool on a wire rack before serving.
