The recipe for croissant, the must-have pastry of French gastronomy

The essential pastry of French gastronomy comes to your kitchen.
Learn how to make this breakfast classic with Éric Kayser’s simplified step-by-step recipe.

The Recipe:
Start by pouring all the liquids into your mixer bowl: water, egg, and natural sourdough starter (if you have it).
Add the yeast on top (to ensure it doesn’t touch the salt or sugar).
Add the flour.
Then, add the sugar and salt.
Finally, add the softened butter (not melted).
Mix with your machine’s dough hook for two minutes on the first speed and two minutes at a faster speed.

Once the dough is smooth and not too soft, stop the mixer and remove the dough from the bowl.
Shape the dough into a ball by folding all the edges toward the center.
Place the dough ball in a mixing bowl covered with a cloth or plastic wrap.

Let the dough rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Prepare 250g of butter for 1kg of raw dough.
Place the cold butter on parchment paper. Flatten it into a rectangle using a rolling pin. Use the parchment paper to perfect the rectangle.

Lightly flour the top and bottom of your dough ball.
Roll the dough into a rectangle, twice the size of the butter.

Press the middle of the dough to make it slightly thinner.
Place the butter at the bottom edge. Flatten it slightly with your palm or fist to ensure it reaches the edges. Be careful not to let the butter become too soft to avoid it melting into the dough.

Fold the remaining dough over the butter.
Roll out the dough to incorporate the butter, pressing first at the top and bottom, then in the middle, until you achieve an even, thin rectangle.

Fold this long rectangle into thirds: the first third over the middle and the last third over the top.

Turn the dough a quarter turn so the fold is on your right.

Repeat the same process once more.

Let the dough rest for about 30 minutes. If your room is warm, place it in the refrigerator. The butter should remain firm inside the dough.

Flour the top and bottom of the dough.
Repeat the folding process one last time.

Cut the dough in half lengthwise.

Cut the dough into evenly sized triangles to ensure uniform croissants.

Make a small notch in the middle of the base of each triangle. Gently stretch the triangle without tearing it.
Roll the dough tightly from the base to form the croissant shape.
Repeat the process as quickly as possible to prevent the butter from melting into the dough.

Place the croissants on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving a three-finger space between each croissant.
Brush the croissants with beaten egg.

Let them proof for two hours.

Brush the croissants with egg wash again just before baking.

Bake for 15 minutes at 170°C.

Enjoy these buttery, fragrant croissants fresh from the oven for breakfast.

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