Classic French Butter Croissants

Combine the bread flour, all-purpose flour, water, whole milk, granulated sugar, fine sea salt, instant yeast, and softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on low speed until a rough shaggy dough forms.

Knead the dough on low speed until it becomes smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. The gluten should be moderately developed but not tightly sprung.

Form the dough into a rough rectangle, wrap tightly in plastic wrap or parchment paper, and leave to rest at room temperature to begin fermentation.

Transfer the wrapped dough rectangle to the refrigerator. Allow it to cold ferment overnight, which relaxes the gluten and develops complex flavors.

Place the 250g cold butter between two sheets of parchment paper. Use a rolling pin to firmly pound and roll the butter into an even 18cm by 18cm square. It should be pliable but completely cool.

Roll the chilled dough into a rectangle twice the length of your butter block. Place the butter block in the center and fold the dough edges over to fully encase it. Roll the dough into a long rectangle and fold the ends toward the middle, then fold in half like a book for a double fold.

Wrap the folded dough tightly to prevent drying and refrigerate to relax the gluten network and keep the butter layers strictly defined.

Remove the dough, turn it 90 degrees so the open seam faces you, and roll again into a long rectangle. Fold it in thirds like a business letter for a single fold.

Wrap the dough one final time and refrigerate. This final chill is crucial before the rolling and shaping phase to prevent the butter from melting.

Using a rolling pin and ruler, gently roll the dough into a large rectangle about 4 millimeters thick, measuring roughly 25cm by 60cm.

Trim the uneven edges of the dough with a sharp knife to expose the layers. Cut the rectangle into 12 tall isosceles triangles, with bases measuring about 10cm wide.

Gently elongate each triangle by stretching the base and tip. Roll the dough tightly from the wide base up to the pointed tip. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet with the tip tucked underneath.

Proof the shaped croissants in a draft-free environment at around 24°C/75°F. Do not exceed 26°C/79°F or the butter will melt and pool. Wait until they are fully doubled in size.

Whisk the egg and 15ml milk together. Using a pastry brush, gently glaze the delicate, proofed croissants without pressing down and deflating them.

Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C/390°F for 10 minutes to rapidly expand the steam layers. Then, lower the temperature to 190°C/375°F and bake for an additional 15 minutes until evenly deep brown.

Remove from the oven and carefully transfer the croissants to a wire rack. They must cool completely to set the interior crumb structure before eating.