We waited so long between Croissants 5 and Croissants 6 that I'd
forgotten which recipe we used and what we wanted to do differently. I
should have consulted the accounts I've written for rfc to refresh my
memory, but I forgot to do that too. I did remember that we wanted to
try Plugra butter. Result: We can't tell the difference. We tasted it
and couldn't tell the difference. We put it in the croissants and
couldn't tell the difference.


We used the recipe in Child's _The French Chef_ this time. It's a
little different from the one in _Mastering the Art of French Cooking_
which I'd returned to the library.


Jim says we used too much butter last time. He's got nothing against
butter but says he'd like a little flaky wonderfulness between his
butter, not all butter. We forgot that if we were using Plugra we
wouldn't need to put a little flour in the butter square to make it a
little drier. We have got to remember that next time. The flour makes
the butter square drier, but it also makes it easier to incorporate into
the dough, which is not what you want. You want layers.


This time we made the dough right up to the last turn, then refrigerated
overnight so we could let them rise first thing in the morning and have
them for breakfast. That's more important to Jim than to me. I'm happy
to have fresh croissants for a midnight snack.


The croissants are looking better. The trick is in putting some eggwash
on the tip of the triangle. We call that the nose. It helps glue the
croissant together so it doesn't come unfolded when it bakes. We've
started calling the eggwash glue. With the same dough, we make almond
braids following the directions in _Baking Illustrated. The glue is
important there too.


I'd say we'd figured out how to make croissants. Now we're arguing over
how many to make plain, whether we should make almond ones, and how many
to add jam or cheese to. I find that I prefer the plain ones. The ones
with stuffing are fun to make, but when I take one out of the bag in the
freezer for breakfast, I usually want plain or to add jam at the table.
Jim's been getting creative with adding chocolate or combinations of
chocolate and jam. It got so bad that we've had to split the dough in
half. He can doctor his up any way he likes, and I do the same with mine.


Cheese was an innovation this time that I'll repeat. When you melt
cheese on the croissant when it's toasting time, it makes it soggy. If
you grate a hard cheese (I used romano) and fold it into the croissant
as you roll it up, you don't get the soggy effect.


Chocolate is an innovation that I could live without. I know that bread
and chocolate is a classic French snack, but I don't get it. Chocolate
is best on its own.


--Lia

> The croissants are looking better. *The trick is in putting some eggwash
> on the tip of the triangle. *We call that the nose. *It helps glue the
> croissant together so it doesn't come unfolded when it bakes. *We've
> started calling the eggwash glue. *With the same dough, we make almond
> braids following the directions in _Baking Illustrated. *The glue is
> important there too.
>
> I'd say we'd figured out how to make croissants. *Now we're arguing over
> how many to make plain, whether we should make almond ones, and how many
> to add jam or cheese to. *I find that I prefer the plain ones. *The ones
> with stuffing are fun to make, but when I take one out of the bag in the
> freezer for breakfast, I usually want plain or to add jam at the table.
> --Lia

I'm tellin ya, you have to try prosciutto(sp!). Also, what you call
the nose, we used to call the beak!

Julia Altshuler > wrote in
:

> We waited so long between Croissants 5 and Croissants 6 that I'd
> forgotten which recipe we used and what we wanted to do differently. I
> should have consulted the accounts I've written for rfc to refresh my
> memory, but I forgot to do that too.

Perhaps keeping a notebook with recipes,notes,results, changes and dates
might help? Or maybe a spreadesheet, database or wordprocessor log?

That's why I use recipe software so I can make yeah or nay comments about
additions to recipes or other ideas to try.

I am enjoying your ongoing posts on Croissants

--

The beet goes on -Alan

merryb wrote:
>>
>> I'd say we'd figured out how to make croissants. Now we're arguing
>> over how many to make plain, whether we should make almond ones, and
>> how many to add jam or cheese to. I find that I prefer the plain
>> ones. The ones with stuffing are fun to make, but when I take one
>> out of the bag in the freezer for breakfast, I usually want plain or
>> to add jam at the table. --Lia
>
> I'm tellin ya, you have to try prosciutto(sp!). Also, what you call
> the nose, we used to call the beak!

Spinach and cheese, cheese and ham, mushrooms and cheese, or how about
roasted veggies and cheese! I love those fillings for a croissant.

kili

hahabogus wrote:
>
> Perhaps keeping a notebook with recipes,notes,results, changes and dates
> might help? Or maybe a spreadesheet, database or wordprocessor log?
>
> That's why I use recipe software so I can make yeah or nay comments about
> additions to recipes or other ideas to try.


No, nooo. That's what I have you guys for. I write up what we tried,
how it worked, what we liked and didn't like, and send it to you. It's
entertaining all around and provides the record I need. The problem
with remembering to look at it would be in place whatever the method I used.


(I'm glad y'all like the posts. I'll keep them coming.)


--Lia

kilikini wrote:
>
> Spinach and cheese, cheese and ham, mushrooms and cheese, or how about
> roasted veggies and cheese! I love those fillings for a croissant.


I've had those in bakery made croissants and like them when I want a
quick lunch on the go. I can't see making them at home, though. The
fillings would be better on the side in a ramekin, and I'd hate to
figure out how to make the filling dry enough to go in the croissant
without soggifying.


--Lia

Julia Altshuler wrote:

>
>
> Chocolate is an innovation that I could live without. I know that bread
> and chocolate is a classic French snack, but I don't get it. Chocolate
> is best on its own.
>
>
> --Lia
>

But chocolate is such a HEAVENLY surprise when you find it in
the middle of a croissant!

gloria p

Gloria P wrote:
> But chocolate is such a HEAVENLY surprise when you find it in
> the middle of a croissant!
>
> gloria p

It is great!

--
Jean B.