Guava Croissants
Total 11 hours
Active 120 mins
Makes 8 large croissants
TIP: The croissants can be frozen after the final rise and baked straight from the freezer. You will have to adjust the baking time.
Ingredients
Directions
- Read through all directions before beginning. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, add the flour. Sprinkle the sugar and yeast on one side of the bowl and the salt on the other side. Turn the mixer to low speed and mix briefly. Stream the milk into the bowl and mix for 2 minutes. Turn the mixer to medium speed and mix for 6 minutes.
- Meanwhile, clear a shelf in your refrigerator for chilling the dough.
- Lightly flour a surface, dump the dough out onto it and roll it into a ball. Place the dough on a sheet tray lined with a silicone baking mat. This sheet tray will be a guide for rolling out the dough and make it easy to take it in and out of the refrigerator. Shape the dough into a small rectangle, cover with plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- For the butter, make sure it is almost room temperature, not too soft. Line a 9 x13-inch sheet tray with plastic wrap. Line up the butter sticks in the center of the tray with some space between each. Cover with plastic wrap and place another 9 x13-inch sheet tray on top. Gently push down with even pressure. Remove the top tray and reshape the butter into a rectangle by hand. Repeat until the butter is the same thickness throughout and measures 7 x10 inches. Refrigerate until firm. The trick is to have the butter and dough around the same temperature during the folding process.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Roll the dough out while it is still on the mat to a 10 x 15-inch rectangle, lightly flouring if needed. (When dusting with flour, lightly sprinkle and then wipe excess flour from the dough when finished.) Center the butter slab in the center of the dough. Enclose the butter by folding the top and bottom dough over to cover it. Pinch the sides. Using a rolling pin, gently pound the dough to slightly flatten. Then roll out to a 7 x 20-inch rectangle, flipping the dough from time to time and sprinkling lightly with flour and wiping off excess flour.
- Perform a double turn: Fold the bottom edge of the dough towards the center, then take the other edge to the center. To quadruple the layers, fold half of the folded dough over onto the other for what is called “the book.” Tap the dough with the rolling pin to level it out, then give it a few rolls. Place it back on the sheet tray on the silicone mat, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 1 hour. (You can reuse the plastic wrap.)
- Perform a simple turn: Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough out again to a 7 x 20-inch rectangle. You will feel the dough resist, so remember not to push down on the dough but to roll in an outward motion, starting from the middle and working your way to the edges. Fold the dough into thirds. If the edges get rounded, tug the dough into straight 90-degree edges. Place the dough back on the sheet tray, cover it in plastic, and refrigerate 1 hour.
- Now the dough can be rolled into a sheet and cut. Lightly dust the mat underneath the dough and the top with flour. Roll the dough out on the mat, using it as a guide to create a rectangle 16 x 12 inches. Flip the sheet tray over, using the unrimmed backside. Slide the mat onto the sheet tray and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface by sliding it off the mat and sheet tray so it won't rip. Trim any rough edges, squaring off but making sure the width is 12 inches and length is 16 inches. Using a ruler, measure and mark every 4 inches across the top and bottom of the long side of the dough. Place the ruler straight to line up each mark. Using a pizza cutter, cut from side to side, making 4 rectangles, each 4 inches wide and 12 inches long. Cut each diagonally, so you have 8 rectangles.
- To shape the croissants, line 2 sheet trays with parchment paper. Remove a triangle and place it on a surface lightly dusted with flour. Gently tug and wiggle at the base (long side) of the triangle to widen it a bit. Cut a small slit in the middle of the base (this will help the croissant keep its shape). Place 3 strips of guava paste on the base. Begin to roll the dough up and over the strip, and continue rolling from the widest part of the triangle to the tip. Roll it snuggly (you don’t want any air pockets) but without pulling too much. Roll it up over the point of the triangle, giving it just the slightest push down to adhere it. Place the croissant on a prepared sheet tray. Repeat until all the triangles are rolled, leaving plenty of room between each croissant.
- Cover the trays with plastic wrap and allow the croissants to rise at room temperature. (If it is a cold day, fill a skillet with water and bring the water to a boil. Place the skillet on the bottom of your oven floor. Place the covered sheet trays with the croissants in the oven.) Let the croissants rise until they jiggle when the trays are shaken slightly, about 2 1/2 hours. Remove them from the oven along with the skillet if they rose there.
- Preheat the oven to 400℉. In a small bowl, whisk the egg and cream together. Uncover the croissants and brush them with the egg mixture, making sure to get the sides. Bake 15 minutes. Rotate the trays and bake 5 minutes longer. Turn the oven down to 350℉ and bake for another 5 minutes, until the croissants are a deep golden brown. Transfer to a rack to cool.
- Store the cooled croissants in an airtight container at room temperature. Reheat them slightly before serving.