“Grand fermage” butter croissant and chocolate Danish pastry 

Preparation

Method for the croissant

1. Place the flour, salt and sugar in the mixer bowl.

2. Add the yeast, milk and water.

3. Knead all this together to obtain a full-bodied first pastry (the ‘détrempe’).

4. Leave to rise for around an hour in the fridge.

5. Take the butter out of the fridge then tap it with a rolling pin to soften it while keeping it cold. This will enable a better integration with the pastry.

6. Roll out the pastry to form a square shape twice the size of the butter. Place the butter in the middle (the corners of the butter square should meet the edges of the pastry square), then fold the pastry over the butter in a cross to make a square.

7. Level out the thickness of the pastry by gently tapping it with the rolling pin in both directions.

8. Flour the work surface evenly, but not excessively, then roll out the pastry with the rolling pin to form a large rectangle. The length should be three times the width, with a thickness of 1 cm.

9. Fold the pastry as a ‘purse’ to complete a double turn. Wrap it in greaseproof paper and leave to cool in the fridge for 25 mins.

10. Take the pastry out of the fridge then roll it out again, keeping the fold to the right, and fold it in three to complete a single turn.

11. Put it back in the fridge for 25 mins so it can then be shaped.

12. Flour the work surface, roll out the risen flaky pastry to make a 40×50 sheet. Fold it in 2 to mark the central fold, unfold it and cut the pastry sheet into 2.

13. Mark the shape of the triangles on the pastry sheet with a knife and then cut them out. Make an incision at the base of each croissant then roll them loosely.

14. Place them in quincunx on baking sheets lined with greaseproof paper.

15. Then apply the egg wash to the croissants for the first time before leaving them to rise.

16. Let them rise in an oven for 1 hour at 30° or for 2 hours at ambient temperature.

17. Apply a second coat of egg wash then bake them at 200°C for 15 to 20 mins.

18. When baked, place them on a rack to cool.

19. You can sprinkle them with small seeds before baking.

To make chocolate Danish pastries

1. Roll out the chocolate risen flaky pastry to form a 40×50 sheet, roll using sugar mixed with cinnamon and cacao instead of flour.

2. Cut the pastry sheet in 2. Roll them out as you would for raison breads.

3. Cut out 1.5cm slices and place them in individual tart circles on baking sheets lined with greaseproof paper.

4. Let them rise in an oven for 1 hour at 30° or for 2 hours at ambient temperature.

5. Apply the egg wash and bake for 15 minutes at 180°C.

6. Remove the circles after they come out of the oven and place them on a rack.

7. Then cut them in 2 and decorate with a chocolate ganache.