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Mastering croissants at home

***Rachel Khoo would like to thank all the inspiring people who helped make the Khoollect studio a hive of creativity. Although the Khoollect studio’s doors have now closed, you can keep up with Rachel’s newest adventures on RachelKhoo.com and on Rachel’s Instagram and Facebook pages – and, continue to enjoy the Khoollect website’s stories and recipes, which will remain available.***

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Melbourne-based croissant-making master Kate Reid of Lune Croissanterie shares her tips for perfecting the tricky culinary art of pastry at home:

Use the best butter you can find

Your croissant will only be as delicious as the quality of the butter you choose. I prefer cultured French butter, for a deliciously complex, nutty flavour.

Prepare your butter with respect

When you’re preparing your laminating butter, try to get it to a thickness that’s as even as possible, and work it in the most solid state you can – the softer it is, the greasier it becomes, and the harder it is to work with.

Refrigerate and rest

Take your time to refrigerate and rest your pastry between each turn and fold. It allows the butter and dough to reach the same temperature, which allows you to evenly roll out the laminated pastry. It also allows the gluten in the dough to relax, so that it’s not so elastic (and won’t spring back when you try to roll it out again.).

Keep it cool

A cool working environment and cool hands are very helpful when you’re shaping croissants – the layers of butter and dough are so fine and delicate, that any heat you impart on the pastry will melt and compromise your final layers.

Be patient in your proving

For the best end result, allow your croissants to prove for the time that they need (often longer than a recipe will tell you).

Heat your oven to a high temperature

Start your baking at a high temperature. One of the ways to achieve a lovely, open honeycomb crumb is to ensure that when your croissants go in the oven, the butter doesn’t just melt – the water in the butter becomes so hot that it turns into steam which pushes the layers apart.

Be kind to yourself

It’s not easy to make croissants at home, so go easy on yourself and keeping practising.

Have you tried mastering croissants at home? Tell us in the comments below about your experience…

Find out more

Read Khoollect’s interview with Kate Reid.

Try Kate’s suggestions for delicious croissant fillings.

Visit Lune Croissanterie’s website.

Find Lune Croissanterie on Instagram and Facebook.

 

 

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Find out more

Read Khoollect’s interview with Kate Reid.

Try Kate’s suggestions for delicious croissant fillings.

Visit Lune Croissanterie’s website.

Find Lune Croissanterie on Instagram and Facebook.

 

 

Find out more

Read Khoollect’s interview with Kate Reid.

Try Kate’s suggestions for delicious croissant fillings.

Visit Lune Croissanterie’s website.

Find Lune Croissanterie on Instagram and Facebook.

 

 

Melbourne-based croissant-making master Kate Reid of Lune Croissanterie shares her tips for perfecting the tricky culinary art of pastry at home:

Use the best butter you can find

Your croissant will only be as delicious as the quality of the butter you choose. I prefer cultured French butter, for a deliciously complex, nutty flavour.

Prepare your butter with respect

When you’re preparing your laminating butter, try to get it to a thickness that’s as even as possible, and work it in the most solid state you can – the softer it is, the greasier it becomes, and the harder it is to work with.

Refrigerate and rest

Take your time to refrigerate and rest your pastry between each turn and fold. It allows the butter and dough to reach the same temperature, which allows you to evenly roll out the laminated pastry. It also allows the gluten in the dough to relax, so that it’s not so elastic (and won’t spring back when you try to roll it out again.).

Keep it cool

A cool working environment and cool hands are very helpful when you’re shaping croissants – the layers of butter and dough are so fine and delicate, that any heat you impart on the pastry will melt and compromise your final layers.

Be patient in your proving

For the best end result, allow your croissants to prove for the time that they need (often longer than a recipe will tell you).

Heat your oven to a high temperature

Start your baking at a high temperature. One of the ways to achieve a lovely, open honeycomb crumb is to ensure that when your croissants go in the oven, the butter doesn’t just melt – the water in the butter becomes so hot that it turns into steam which pushes the layers apart.

Be kind to yourself

It’s not easy to make croissants at home, so go easy on yourself and keeping practising.

Have you tried mastering croissants at home? Tell us in the comments below about your experience…

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With over 30 delicious recipes, this e-cookbook showcases wonderful new ways to cook with cocoa. This is not just a dessert book; within you'll find a whole range of recipes for every occasion from a decadent chocolate tahini caramel torte, to a confit cocoa cod with lemony white chocolate sauce. These recipes are featured in Rachel Khoo's Chocolate TV show.

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