Croissant Loaf
Croissant Loaf
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1 cup warm milk
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon instant yeast
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
For Layering and Finishing
- 1/2 cup butter, softened, for layering
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 tablespoons butter, for brushing after baking
Instructions
- 1
In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm milk, granulated sugar, and instant yeast. Stir gently and let it sit for 5 minutes to activate the yeast until foamy.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Add the all-purpose flour and salt to the wet mixture. Mix with a spoon or your hands until a rough, shaggy dough forms.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Add the 1/4 cup of softened butter to the dough. Knead the dough for 5 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. You can do this by hand or using a stand mixer with a dough hook.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover it with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel, and allow it to rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
⏱️ 60 min
- 5
Gently punch down the risen dough to release the air. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and divide it into 4 equal parts.
⏱️ 2 min
- 6
Roll out one part of the dough into a thin rectangle, approximately 12x8 inches. Spread a thin, even layer of softened butter (from the 'For Layering' ingredients) over the entire surface of the dough.
⏱️ 3 min
- 7
Roll out a second part of the dough to the same size and carefully place it on top of the first buttered layer. Spread another thin, even layer of softened butter over this second layer.
⏱️ 3 min
- 8
Repeat the process with the third part of the dough, placing it on top and buttering it. Finally, roll out the fourth part of the dough and place it on top of the stack, but do not spread butter on this top layer.
⏱️ 6 min
- 9
Carefully wrap the layered dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 40 minutes. This helps to firm up the butter and dough, making it easier to handle and creating distinct layers.
⏱️ 40 min
- 10
After refrigeration, unwrap the dough and place it on a lightly floured surface. Gently flatten and spread it out with a rolling pin into a longer rectangle, approximately 18x10 inches. Then, starting from one of the longer sides, tightly roll the dough into a log shape.
⏱️ 5 min
- 11
Using a sharp knife or dough cutter, cut the log into 10-12 individual pieces, each about 1 1/2 inches thick.
⏱️ 2 min
- 12
Lightly grease two standard loaf pans. Arrange the cut dough pieces vertically, side-by-side, in the prepared loaf pans. They should fit snugly.
⏱️ 2 min
- 13
Cover the bread pans with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise again in a warm place for 1 hour, or until the pieces have expanded and filled the pan.
⏱️ 60 min
- 14
Preheat your oven to 325°F. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and 1 tablespoon of water to create an egg wash. Gently brush the egg wash over the top of the risen loaves.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 325
- 15
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the loaves are golden brown and cooked through. If the tops are browning too quickly, you can loosely tent them with aluminum foil.
⏱️ 30 min•🌡️ 325
- 16
Immediately after removing the loaves from the oven, rub the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over the warm tops to enhance shine and flavor. Let the loaves cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
⏱️ 10 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Croissant Loaf
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1 cup warm milk
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon instant yeast
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
For Layering and Finishing
- 1/2 cup butter, softened, for layering
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 tablespoons butter, for brushing after baking
Instructions
- 1
In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm milk, granulated sugar, and instant yeast. Stir gently and let it sit for 5 minutes to activate the yeast until foamy.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Add the all-purpose flour and salt to the wet mixture. Mix with a spoon or your hands until a rough, shaggy dough forms.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Add the 1/4 cup of softened butter to the dough. Knead the dough for 5 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. You can do this by hand or using a stand mixer with a dough hook.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover it with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel, and allow it to rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
⏱️ 60 min - 5
Gently punch down the risen dough to release the air. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and divide it into 4 equal parts.
⏱️ 2 min - 6
Roll out one part of the dough into a thin rectangle, approximately 12x8 inches. Spread a thin, even layer of softened butter (from the 'For Layering' ingredients) over the entire surface of the dough.
⏱️ 3 min - 7
Roll out a second part of the dough to the same size and carefully place it on top of the first buttered layer. Spread another thin, even layer of softened butter over this second layer.
⏱️ 3 min - 8
Repeat the process with the third part of the dough, placing it on top and buttering it. Finally, roll out the fourth part of the dough and place it on top of the stack, but do not spread butter on this top layer.
⏱️ 6 min - 9
Carefully wrap the layered dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 40 minutes. This helps to firm up the butter and dough, making it easier to handle and creating distinct layers.
⏱️ 40 min - 10
After refrigeration, unwrap the dough and place it on a lightly floured surface. Gently flatten and spread it out with a rolling pin into a longer rectangle, approximately 18x10 inches. Then, starting from one of the longer sides, tightly roll the dough into a log shape.
⏱️ 5 min - 11
Using a sharp knife or dough cutter, cut the log into 10-12 individual pieces, each about 1 1/2 inches thick.
⏱️ 2 min - 12
Lightly grease two standard loaf pans. Arrange the cut dough pieces vertically, side-by-side, in the prepared loaf pans. They should fit snugly.
⏱️ 2 min - 13
Cover the bread pans with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise again in a warm place for 1 hour, or until the pieces have expanded and filled the pan.
⏱️ 60 min - 14
Preheat your oven to 325°F. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and 1 tablespoon of water to create an egg wash. Gently brush the egg wash over the top of the risen loaves.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 325 - 15
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the loaves are golden brown and cooked through. If the tops are browning too quickly, you can loosely tent them with aluminum foil.
⏱️ 30 min•🌡️ 325 - 16
Immediately after removing the loaves from the oven, rub the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over the warm tops to enhance shine and flavor. Let the loaves cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
⏱️ 10 min