A croissant is a crescent shaped, light and fluffy roll traditionally made from puffed pastry that is also rather buttery.http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/croissant Croissants are a common breakfast food around the world and can be served alone, with toppings such as even more butter, jams, jellies, fresh fruit or fruit preserves. Croissants can also be stuffed with items such as those listed above, cheese, or meat.http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-croissant.htm

Although typically considered a French food as the name itself comes from the French word for “crescent” referring the to the foods shape, it is unknown if croissants are actually French. There are four widely accepted stories of the origin of croissants. One claims they were invented in 1683 in Vienna, another says in Hungary. A third claims they were made at Maria Antoinette’s request in France for “Kipfel” an Austrian pastry. The last, and most common accepted story does agree that croissants are a French version of the Austrian pastry mentioned above but created in the 1800’s.http://www.1-800-bakery.com/newsdesk/History_of_the_Croissant.html

Croissants are generally considered on the more advanced side of the baking scale and can be a bit tricky to get right. Most recipes do call for basic bread ingredients including flour, eggs, yeast, butter, salt, and sugar. http://www.ochef.com/r22.htmhttp://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Croissant-Dough-103988 However, the catch is these ingredients must be in perfect balance to create the unusual half pastry, half bread result that is the croissant.http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/france/091119/croissants-french-pastry-class

This guide on how to make croissants will provide a basic recipe compiled by taking common ingredients found in most recipes, step-by-step instructions on the baking process as well as tips to make the task easier.

The first step in making croissants is to gather your ingredients and make your dough.

Here is an example of a basic croissant dough recipe:

• 1 1/4 up milk
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/2 ounce active yeast or 1 tablespoon dry yeast
• 1 pound flour
• 12 ounces unsalted butter
• 1 egg slightly beatenhttp://www.ochef.com/r22.htm

The exact amounts of each ingredient vary by recipe to acquire just the right balance. Some recipes call for a few additional ingredients such as brown sugar, water, or flavor extracts such as vanilla or almond.http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Croissant-Dough-103988http://cooklikeyourgrandmother.com/2009/01/how-to-make-puff-pastry/http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-croissant.htm

To make your dough using the above basic recipe:

1. Combine your flour, salt and sugar in a bowl and set aside.
2. Heat your milk until warm, but not boiling.http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-croissant.htm (Around 105-110 degrees F)http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Croissant-Dough-103988
3. Dissolve yeast into 1 cup milk and set aside.
4. Add flour mixture, and yeast-milk mixture to remaining ¼ cup milk and form into a dough ball.
5. Place covered in the refrigerator until dough ball has double in size. This should take around an hour to an hour and a half.
6. Once the dough has double in size punch it down, which means to remove all the Co2 from it, and return to the fridge for 30 minutes.http://www.practicallyedible.com/edible.nsf/pages/punchdown

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This process may vary slightly by recipe as far as how ingredients are added together. The chilling to allow rising and removal of Co2 generally remain the same.

While your dough sets for another 30 minutes in the fridge, you can prepare a butter block. The butter block is placed within the dough at after rolling so it is necessary to have to ready when you begin rolling the dough.

To make a butter block:

1. Chill your butter to a point it is cold but can still be shaped. http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Croissant-Dough-103988
2. Cut the butter into 12 equal pieces.
3. Optional Step: Mix in 3 tablespoons flour. Note that this flour was not included in the above ingredients. Not all croissant recipes call for flour to be added to the butter. http://www.ochef.com/r22.htm
4. Blend the butter until smooth.
5. Scoop onto a floured surface and shape into a one-inch thick, six inch square cube.
6. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for the time being to chill.http://www.latartinegourmande.com/2006/10/19/croissants-step-by-step-la-confection-des-croissants/

If you choose not to add flour, you can forgo blending and simply shape your butter into a block.

Rolling out the dough, take one:

Now it’s time to remove your dough from the refrigerator and begin rolling.

1. Place the dough on a well floured surface.
2. Roll the dough into a square.
3. Stretch out each corner forming a rough “X” shape.
4. Place your chilled butter block in the center of the X.
5. Fold the corners of the X over the butter block and seal securely by pinching the dough.
6. Wrap in plastic and place back in the refrigerator for about an hour. The butter should become firm, but the dough still workable.http://cooklikeyourgrandmother.com/2009/01/how-to-make-puff-pastry/

Rolling out the dough, take two:

1. Place the dough back on the floured surface unwrapped with the shortest side facing you.
2. Roll the dough into a rectangle.
3. Fold the dough into thirds by taking first the bottom 1/3 and folding it onto the middle and the top 1/3 and folding it over this. It should resemble a letter.
4. Wrap in plastic and chill for half an hour.

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Repeat this process called “folding” or “turning” at least three times. Some bakers choose to do this process four to five times. Each fold creates a new flaky layer within the finished croissant.http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-croissant.htm Once all folds are completed leave dough wrapped in plastic for eight to eighteen hours. http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Croissant-Dough-103988

The final step is to form your croissants and bake them. Begin by pre-heating your oven to 400 degrees F.http://www.ochef.com/r22.htm

To form your crescents:

1. Unwrap your dough and place it on a well floured surface.
2. Roll your dough into a fairly even square.
3. Cut the square into four even quarters.
4. Cut the quarters as if cutting a pizza into eight triangles. A pizza cutter is also the easiest tool for this job.
5. Roll the dough triangles inward from the wide edge into the point.
6. Place each triangle on a baking sheet with the tip on the bottom.
7. Bend each triangle into a crescent shape.

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To bake your croissants:

1. Paint each crescent with egg wash.
2. Place in the oven for approximately 20 minutes or until golden brown.

You can forgo the egg wash if you like. It is not essential to the recipe but does add color and gloss. http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-croissant.htm If wrapped in plastic at room temperature your croissants will keep for a day or two. If placed in the fridge they will keep at least a week and if frozen will keep indefinitely but should be consumed before one to two months for best quality.http://www.stilltasty.com/fooditems/index/17052 However, most people agree croissants are best consumed fresh and warm from the oven.