Butter croissants are a delicious and traditional bakery option enjoyed in many Latin American countries.

These soft, fluffy pieces of bread have a distinctive crescent shape and are often served as a breakfast or snack accompanied by coffee or tea.

The preparation of this recipe may be a little more laborious than others, but the end result is certainly worth it. In this recipe, butter will be used to achieve the characteristic texture and flavor of the croissants, and they will be given a golden and shiny finish with a layer of syrup.

Follow the detailed steps and enjoy delicious freshly baked butter croissants at home.

Ingredients

• 500 grams of “000” wheat flour (all purpose)
• 250 ml milk
• 50 grams of sugar
• 1 egg
• 100 grams of lard or butter
• 5 grams of dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon vanilla essence
• Orange zest (optional)

For the syrup:

• 150 ml of water
• 150 grams of sugar
• Orange peel (optional)

For the gilding:

• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons of milk
• 1 pinch of sugar
• 1 pinch of salt

Preparation

From the dough :

1. In a bowl, combine the following ingredients: 500 grams of “000” wheat flour (all-purpose), 50 grams of sugar, 5 grams of dry yeast, and orange zest to taste.
2. Mix well to incorporate all the ingredients.
3. Add 250 ml of milk, 1 egg, and 1 tablespoon of vanilla essence. Mix again until all the ingredients are incorporated.
4. Place the dough on a work table and knead until you get a ball.
5. Tear the dough and begin to add 100 grams of butter little by little, kneading intensely to incorporate each piece.
6. Continue kneading and adding the butter until it is all incorporated. This process can be a little difficult, but you should continue to press and knead with quick and strong enveloping movements.
7. Place the dough ball in a bowl, cover it and let it rest for 40 minutes at room temperature.

Cutting and shape of the croissants:

1. Remove the dough from the bowl, sprinkle flour on the table and begin to stretch the dough until it measures 30 cm wide, 60 cm long, and 1 cm thick.
2. Cut the dough lengthwise into two parts of 60×15 cm each.
3. Start cutting 6cm wide triangles.
4. As you cut, set the triangles aside.
5. Form the crescents: take the base of the triangle with both hands and stretch it to the sides with slight pressure. Then, with one hand, grab the base of the triangle and with the other hand gently stretch the tip downward.
6. Place the dough on the table and begin rolling from the base of the triangle, stretching the tip slightly as you roll.
7. Form all the rolls and reserve on the table.
8. Prepare a baking dish and begin to place the croissants, giving them their classic shape. To do this, he takes the roll of dough with both hands and stretches it slightly while resting it on the source. When supporting it, he curves the tips forward, forming a crescent, pressing the tips against the source so that they adhere.
9. Keep in mind that the tip of the center of the crescent should always be below, on top of the dish.
10. Repeat with the rest, placing each one close to the other but without touching.
11. Cover the dish with a bag or plastic and let it rest for 30 minutes or until the croissants have doubled in size.

Preparation of Syrup for Butter Croissants:

1. In a pot, place water and sugar in the same proportion and add orange peel to add flavor.
2. Bring the pot to medium heat and wait for it to boil, then cook for 5 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and reserve. The syrup obtained must be fluid.
4. Let the syrup cool while you prepare for the next step.

Baking the Butter Croissants:

1. Prepare the “browning” in a bowl, mixing egg, milk, salt and sugar until well incorporated.
2. Brush the croissants with the gold until they are completely covered.
3. Bake the croissants for 20 minutes at medium temperature (180ºC) in a preheated oven.
4. Once cooked and golden, remove the croissants from the oven and cover them with plenty of syrup while they are still hot.

Ready! Now you can enjoy your delicious butter croissants.