The smell of baked croissants in the morning can put a big smile on your face. I usually bake a bunch at home and during the week I make egg sandwiches for breakfast or lunch. It’s better than spending $3-$5 for a croissant sandwich when you can make a batch at home and save money. It’s just as good or even better. Here is an easy way to create the perfect baked croissant for when you eat it with coffee or if you want to make an egg sandwich with it. It’s easier than you think.
INGREDIENTS
5 cups of flour (all purpose)
2 packages of yeast
1/4 cup of sugar (white)
2 teaspoon of salt (kosher)
1 cup of water (warm)
3/4 cup of evaporated milk
1/4 cup of butter
2 eggs
1 cup of butter (cut in small pieces)
1 tablespoon of water (warm)
DIRECTIONS
Start by mixing the 1 cup of flour, sugar, yeast and kosher salt. Then in a saucepan, heat the milk, 1/4 cup of butter and warm water. Once It’s warm, add the flour mix and 1 egg. Mix until It’s moistened then beat it at medium speeds for approx. 3 minutes. Leave it on the side.
Next you want to put 1 cup of butter into the rest of the 4 cups of all purpose flour until it’s the size of large peas. After that pour the yeast mix over the flour and butter mix then fold them together until the flour is moist. You want to cover it up and let it sit in the fridge for about 2-3 hours.
After time has passed, sprinkle some flour on the surface and place the dough so you can knead the dough approx. 6-7 times so all the air bubbles are released, then divide them into 4 equal pieces. Roll each of them into a 1/4 piece in a 16 inch circle then cut into 10 pie shaped wedges. Begin with the wider edge and roll the dough towards the point. After you do that place it on a un-greased baking sheet and make sure it’s point side down with the curve into a croissant shape. Cover it and let it rise for an hour.
Mix the 1 beaten egg with 1 tablespoon of water then brush the rolls with the egg mix. Put them in an oven and bake them for 15 minutes at 350 degrees until they are golden brown. Once they are done, put them on a cooling rack or baking sheet. Enjoy!
The Bread Baker’s Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread
by Peter Reinhart (Author) & Ron Manville (Photographer)
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“A bread baker, like any true artisan or craftsman, must have the power to control outcomes,” says Peter Reinhart, author of The Bread Baker’s Apprentice. “Mastery comes with practice.” As in many arts, you must know and understand the rules before you can break them. Reinhart encourages you to learn the science of bread making, but to never forget that vision and experimentation, not formulas, make transcendent loaves. The Bread Baker’s Apprentice is broken into three sections. The first is an amusing tale of Reinhart’s visit to France and his discovery of pain à l’ancienne, a cold-fermented baguette. The second section comprises a tutorial of bread-making basics and Reinhart’s “Twelve Stages of Bread.” And finally, the recipes: Ciabatta, Pane Siciliano, Potato Rosemary Bread, New York Deli Rye, Kaiser Rolls, and Brioche, to name a few. All recipes include bread profiles and ingredient percentages. Reimagined for modern bakers, these mouthwatering classic recipes are bound to inspire. – Dana Van Nest (Amazon)
Crust: Bread to Get Your Teeth Into (With DVD)
by Richard Bertinet
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Crust is the exciting new bread book from Richard Bertinet, whose previous book, Dough, won IACP Best Cookbook of the Year and a James Beard Award. His revolutionary and simple approach that won him so many accolades for Dough continues, but this time he delves deeper into the world of breadmaking, de-mystifying the more gourmet and exciting breads so that you can bake them at home with ease and confidence.
Bake a beautiful loaf of the mighty sourdough or surprise your family in the morning with the sweet, warm aroma of freshly baked croissants (and don’t worry, you don’t have to get up in the middle of the night to create them, you can easily freeze them). Richard also presents imaginative recipes using different flours and ingredients that will soon become favorites in your breadmaking repertoire. Make bagels or pretzels to liven up your lunch or experiment with Cabernet grape flour to create mini baguettes.
These utterly delicious recipes are complemented by great photography from Jean Cazals and a free DVD of Richard taking you through the tips and techniques that make his style of breadmaking so easy and enjoyable. – Amazon
From a Baker’s Kitchen: Techniques and Recipes for Professional Quality Baking in the Home Kitchen
by Gail Sher
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This classic all-in-one baking book remains the best single introduction to making delicious, professional-quality bread and other baked goods at home. From a Baker-s Kitchen, now again available in this twentieth anniversary edition, is one of the essential books for any home baker who aspires to make professional-quality bread. Gail Sher, the first head baker of the celebrated Tassajara Bread Bakery in San Francisco, offers over 100 recipes-clear, foolproof, wonderfully varied and kitchen-tested. Sher divides them into two basic categories: yeasted breads-ranging from white breads to whole-wheat, rye, and specialty-flour breads (including recipes for rolls and buns as well as loaves), and quick breads-covering corn breads, spoonbreads, biscuits, tea cakes & batter breads, gingerbreads, and muffins. But Sher goes beyond the recipes to clearly and carefully describe all of the tools, ingredients, equipment, and, most originally, the bread-making methods and principles that make each recipe work, including her ingenious “”sponge method”" for making yeasted breads, which prominent bakers-the most effective technique for creating richly flavorful bread at home. – Amazon
The Handmade Loaf
by Dan Lepard
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“The Handmade Loaf” is a collection of recipes, personal stories and photographs that capture the breads and home bakers of Europe. Over 80 recipes, many of which are inspired by the bakers profiled, look afresh at traditional methods and ingredients. Their blend of history and innovation will appeal to the experienced baker, but also to a generation ready to discover the simple pleasure of baking their first crisp loaf at home. Shot in real time, with bakers caught on film as the dough is mixed and the bread taken freshly from the oven, the photographs place the reader right beside the baker, showing the detail to help us understand perfectly how breads are created. – Amazon
My Bread: The Revolutionary No-Work, No-Knead Method
by Jim Lahey & Rick Flaste
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Lahey’s “breathtaking, miraculous, no-work, no-knead bread” (Vogue) has revolutionized the food world. Inspired by the ancient art of Italian bread making, Jim Lahey developed artisanal bread that is entirely his own and soon can be yours. It takes only a pot to create what Mark Bittman in the New York Times calls “the best no-work bread you have ever made.” The method, which captured worldwide attention, is practically foolproof and allows the home baker to let the dough rise slowly, without any kneading or fuss, and then bake it in a heavy, preheated pot. Lahey also shares the fun of making his inventive recipes for classic breads like the rustic Italian baguette, the stirato, and his famous pizza bianca. With step-by-step instructions and full color photographs of finished loaves, My Bread is perfect for home cooks who have always wanted to make beautiful, deeply flavored bread but found traditional recipes dauntingly complicated. color photos throughout. – Amazon
The Bread Bible: 300 Favorite Recipes
by Beth Hensperger
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The Bread Bible is the one book on the subject no kitchen should be without -and now it’s available in paperback. A trusted authority on baking, Beth Hensperger has brought together hundreds of time-tested recipes, both classic and intriguingly original, from Gruyere Pullman Loaf and Farm-Style White Bread with Cardamom to fragrant Tuscan Peasant Bread and Classic Buttermilk Biscuits. And don’t just think loaves. Steamed Pecan Corn Bread, pancakes, golden brioches, flatbreads, focaccia, pizza dough, dinner rolls, dessert breads, strudels, breakfast buns -the choices are endless. The recipes are foolproof, step-by-step, and easy-to-follow. Busy bakers will also appreciate the excellent selection of recipes for bread machines and food processors. With a glossary and easy-to follow tips such as how to store and reheat bread, The Bread Bible is “a keeper for anyone who likes to bake or plans to get started.” – Chicago Tribune
For years, countless home cooks have shied away from baking their own bread because they were intimidated by all the mess, the experience, and of course, all the kneading required. Now, with Nancy Baggett’s revolutionary new Kneadlessly Simple method, even complete novices can bake bread quickly and easily in their own homes, with no kneading and no kitchen mess. The secret is in Baggett’s slow-rise method, which allows the yeast to grow slowly and develop the same full, satisfying flavor of traditional bread, without any kneading at all. The technique calls for minimal ingredients, often mixed in one bowl with one spoon, eliminating all the mess of traditional bread recipes, and it can be used to produce a wide variety of breads, from Whole Wheat Boules and English Muffin Loaves to Raisin Bread and Caraway Beer Bread. With this innovative new method, anyone who can read, measure, and stir can now make delicious, fine-textured yeast bread at home. This book will differ from others on the same subject because Nancy Baggett is an experienced food writer who understand home baker’s needs. While techniques by other experts may sound similar, they still require messy dough handling. Nancy Baggett’s technique is the simplest one yet, and it’s virtually fool-proof. – Amazon
Bread: A Baker’s Book of Techniques and Recipes
by Jeffrey Hamelman
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The warm, complex aroma of a fresh-baked loaf of bread can be utterly tantalizing; the first bite, a revelation. In Bread: A Baker’s Book of Techniques and Recipes, award-winning master baker Jeffrey Hamelman presents the definitive, one-stop reference on the art and science of bread baking – a kitchen essential for seasoned home bakers and professionals alike. Hamelman, a professional baker for nearly three decades, was a member of the United States national baking team that won first place in the 1996 Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie, the bread-baking World Cup. Here, he shares this experience, putting world-class artisanal loaves within reach of any serious baker. Opening with a comprehensive overview of the foundations – essential ingredients; hand techniques for kneading, scoring, and shaping; the basic process from mixing through baking – he lucidly guides bakers through all elements of this richly rewarding craft.
Bread contains 118 detailed, step-by-step recipes for an array of breads: versatile sourdough ryes; breads made with pre-ferments; and simple, straight dough loaves. Recipes for brioche, focaccia, pizza dough, flat breads, and other traditional baking staples augment the diverse collection of flavors, tastes, and textures represented within these pages. From the delicate flavor and aroma of classic French baguettes to the mellow smoothness of Roasted Garlic Levain, a bread for every season and every palate is here.
Each recipe clearly outlines the key stages, with easy-to-use charts that list ingredients in both American and metric measures, quantities appropriate for home baking, and baker’s percentages. Hundreds of drawings vividly illustrate techniques, and 35 handsome color photographs display finished breads. Sidebars accompany each recipe and section with valuable tips, from the subtle art of tasting and evaluating breads to the perfect fare to complement Vollkornbrot. A complete chapter on decorative breads – with instructions on techniques as well as a wide variety of exquisite patterns – will inspire magnificent display creations.
Laced throughout the book, Hamelman’s personal narratives offer a compelling portrait of a lifelong love affair with bread and vividly communicate buy Maximum Lipotropics online this passion. For bakers seeking to finesse this time-honored craft or simply to learn the tricks of the trade from a real master, Bread is a resource to be consulted time and time again. – Amazon
Dough: Simple Contemporary Breads (with DVD)
by Richard Bertinet
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For all those who do not want to eat mass produced sliced bread filled with chemicals and preservatives, help is at hand. Chef, teacher and baker extraordinaire Richard Bertinet gets back to basics and shows that, far from being hard or time-consuming, baking bread is quick and easy. Dough breaks down the bread making process into easy-to-follow and achievable steps using just four simple ingredients – yeast, flour, water and salt. An instructional DVD accompanies the book to help illustrate and ease the process of working with dough.
In his book Bertinet explores five different doughs – White, Olive, Brown, Rye and Sweet – and shows how from these ‘parent’ doughs you can bake a vast variety of breads really easily. Though the doughs vary, the technique for making each one is identical. The beauty of it is that it takes no time at all to fill a bread basket with, say, striking looking Fougasse, Breadsticks or Spicy Moroccan rolls (from the White Dough chapter) or Poppy Seed Stars, Sesame plaits and chunks of Pecan and Cranberry, or Cardamom and Prune bread (from the Brown chapter) and no one will guess that they are all part of the same ‘family’. Most of the breads take less than 1 hour to bake and many of the recipes can be part-baked and frozen, ready to finish off in the oven at any time. – Amazon
The Best Quick Breads: 150 Recipes for Muffins, Scones, Shortcakes, Gingerbreads, Cornbreads, Coffeecakes, and More
by Beth Hensperger
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In her no-fuss, straightforward style, Hensperger (The Bread Bible, etc.) expertly lays out the basics for making quick breads in this exhaustive, offbeat book. She offers 150 recipes in all: 100 from her now out-of-print The Art of Quick Breads and 50 brand new. Classic loaves, such as Lemon-Poppy Seed Bread, appear alongside innovative items like Fresh Orange-Oatmeal Bread and Amaretto Nut Bead. Standout muffins include Rye Muffins with Orange and Fennel, Zucchini-Basil Baby Cakes and Orange Chocolate Chip Muffins. Gingerbreads are redolent with spices and unusual ingredients such as stout and peaches. This is not to imply that all of Hensperger’s recipes rely on wacky ingredient combinations. She includes plenty of staid recipes like Fresh Apple Coffee Cake and Chicken-and-Mushroom-Filled Cr?pes with b?chamel. But just as Hensperger expands the definition of quick breads to include pancakes, cr?pes, dumplings and even latkes, she also enlarges the pool of potential quick bread ingredients to incorporate some new tastes: Autumn Persimmon Pancakes, Graham Popovers, and Soda Bread with Caraway and Drambuie. The entries sometimes border on the unorthodox (Chinatown Green Onion Cakes; Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Sage Butter), but with recipes this concise and inviting, readers are unlikely to complain. – Publishers Weekly (Sept.) Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Crust and Crumb: Master Formulas for Serious Bread Bakers
by Peter Reinhart
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Reinhart is the author of the well-regarded Brother Juniper’s Bread Book (1991. o.p.) as well as the charming Sacramental Magic in a medium-Town Cafe (LJ 9/15/94), about the cafe that grew into Brother Juniper’s Bakery, in Santa Rosa, CA. Now he’s teaching baking at the California Culinary Academy, and his latest book is a detailed and authoritative guide to artisan breads. The book’s subtitle basically says it all, though Reinhart explains that he uses the word formula rather than recipe because he’s included the “why” as well as the “how” for making his “world-class breads,” from sourdoughs of all types to brioche and challah to flatbreads and pizza. A worthy addition to the elite group that includes Joe Ortiz’s The Village Baker (LJ 12/92) and Daniel Leader’s Bread Alone (LJ 10/15/93), this is highly recommended for all baking collections. – Library Journal. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
