*If using salted butter reduce salt to 1/2 teaspoon.
**Start with ½ cup + 2 ½ tablespoons (150 g) if needed add the extra.
Instructions
In the bowl of the stand up mixer whisk together the flour, yeast, sugar and salt, then add the water and milk, knead with the dough hook for 5 minutes, the dough will be sticky. Cover the bowl with a clean towel and let sit at room temperature for approximately 40-60 minutes.
On a lightly floured flat surface punch the dough down and form in to a ball, place in a clean bowl, cover and refrigerate for one hour.
Remove the dough from the fridge and roll into a 9x15 inches (23x40cm) rectangle. Spread the softened butter over 2/3 of the dough (leave a 1/4 inch border around the rectangle). Fold the unbuttered third over meeting in the centre, fold the remaining 1/3 on top (see photos). Rotate the dough 90 degrees and roll again into the same size rectangle and repeat the fold. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, then repeat fold and refrigerate and one last time fold and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Roll into a rectangle 10 1/2 x 7 1/2 inches (27x19cm), trim the edges to make everything even. Cut into triangles, I made 3 croissant, 3 pain au chocolat and a couple of twists with the trimmed edges.
To form the croissant, cut a slit at the bottom of the triangle, gently stretch the triangle lengthwise and widthwise, roll tightly from the bottom up to the tip, place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. For the pain au chocolate, place a stick of chocolate on the edge of the rectangle and roll, place on cookie sheet, the extra dough can be twisted and also placed on the cookie sheet. Cover with a clean towel and let rise 45-60 minutes.
Pre-heat oven to 400F (200C).
Before baking you can sprinkle the dough with a little granulated sugar if you wish. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Let cool 8-10 minutes on the cookie sheet then move to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Notes
Croissants will keep at room temperature for up to 1 day when kept in an airtight container to keep the moisture in. Otherwise, you can keep them in the fridge in an airtight container, they will keep for 1 week in the fridge. Reheat in microwave or low heated oven.They can also be frozen in an airtight freezer safe bag or container, they will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer.To freeze unbaked croissants - Shape the croissants (before rising) place on a baking sheet, freeze until firm, then wrap in plastic wrap and freeze. To bake the frozen croissants, remove them from the freezer the night before and defrost them, uncovered, in the refrigerator. The morning after, let them rise at room temperature until almost doubled in bulk (1 to 2 hours) and then bake as directed.