Croissants Challenging? Yes, yes they are!

So, this week's Baking Beauties challenge (and I do mean challenge) was to make croissants. I had really wanted to make them for my parents when they visited this week, but I miscalculated how much time was needed.
I admit, I cheated slightly and waited a mere half hour between each turn of the dough instead of the two hours as suggested in the recipe. I just couldn't bare to wait so long. I was doing well for time until I noticed that after the croissants are formed, they need to proof for three to four hours. Proofing is essential for creating a light and airy product, so you can't skip this step. So, I had to send my parents home with raw, unproofed croissants that they could bake when they finally made it home.



The dough itself was simple to make, thanks in large part to my Kitchen Aid Mixer. I had one issue while turning the dough; the butter was seeping out all over the place. Fortunately, by the time I made it to the third turn, everything looked beautiful and I was feeling happy about my progress.

The smell throughout the house while the croissants were baking was unbelievable. Honestly, someone needs to bottle it up - I would pay big bucks to have that smell wafting through my kitchen on a regular basis! It was hard to wait for the croissants to cool before taking a bite, but it is apparently crucial to allow the layers to settle before eating.



I made two varieties of croissants: chocolate and almond. I was so happy with the almond filling; it tasted exactly as that of my favourite bakery. But, the chocolate was also sinfully delicious, and I am almost embarrassed to say that everything was devoured in the span of three days.

While I was quite impressed with how well my croissants turned out, they were still a far cry from the deliciousness that is served at my favourite patisserie, Ma Maison. I guess I need to keep practicing to improve my technique. And, I am pretty sure I wouldn't hear any complaints about it in this household.