Croissants

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups cold butter
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water or milk

Instructions

1. Cut butter into 1/2-inch slices. Stir butter slices into the 3 cups flour till coated and separated; chill. Combine the 1 1/2 cups of flour and the yeast. Heat and stir milk, sugar, and salt till warm (120° to 130°). Add to flour-yeast mixture along with 1 egg. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Using a spoon, stir in the chilled butter-flour mixture till flour is well moistened (butter will stay in large pieces).
2. Sprinkle a pastry cloth or surface with the 1/4 cup flour. Turn dough out onto floured surface. With floured hands, knead dough very gently about eight times. With a well-floured rolling pin, roll dough into a 21x12-inch rectangle (sprinkle surface with enough remaining flour to prevent sticking, if necessary). Fold dough crosswise into thirds to form a 12x7-inch rectangle. Wrap loosely; place in freezer for 20 to 30 minutes (or in refrigerator for 1 1/2 hours) or till dough is firm but not excessively stiff.
3. On a floured surface, roll again into a 21x12-inch rectangle. Fold into thirds again and give dough a quarter-turn; roll, fold, and turn twice more, flouring surface as needed (it's not necessary to chill dough between rolling times). Place dough in a plastic bag seal, leaving room for expansion. Chill dough for 4 to 24 hours.
4. Cut dough crosswise into fourths. Return 3 pieces to refrigerator till ready to use. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 16x8-inch rectangle. Cut rectangle in half crosswise, forming 2 squares. Cut each square in half diagonally, for a total of 4 triangles. Roll up each triangle loosely, starting from an 8-inch side and rolling toward the opposite point. Repeat rolling, cutting, and shaping with remaining 3 portions of dough. Place rolls on ungreased baking sheets, points down; curve ends. Cover; let rise till almost double (about 1 hour). Beat 1 egg with water or milk brush lightly over rolls. Bake in a 375° oven about 15 minutes or till golden. Remove from baking sheets; cool.
5. Filled Croissants: Prepare as above, except Cut each 10x8-inch rectangle into four 8x4-inch rectangles. Combine one 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened; 1/2 cup sugar, and 2 teaspoons finely shredded orange peel. Fill center of each rectangle with 1 tablespoon cream cheese mixture. (Or fill center of each rectangle with 1 tablespoon semisweet chocolate pieces or fruit preserves.) Brush edges with egg mixture. Fold short sides in over filling to overlap in center (you'll have approximately 3 3/4x4-inch bundles). Pinch edges to seal. Place on ungreased baking sheets, seam side down.