Things involving yeast are kind of in my wheelhouse and this wouldn't be the first time I have tackled croissants. I have made them a few times using a King Arthur Flour recipe; and although they are a bit time consuming, I have not found them to be particularly taxing.
I was curious to see if Ester McManus's recipe would be just as good.
No biggie, right?
I think it's called kitchen therapy.
Fold. Smack. Roll. Fold. Smack. Roll.
In the fridge. Out of the fridge. In the fridge. Out of the fridge.
I still had some chocolate batons hanging out in the pantry, so instead of the traditional croissant-ish looking croissants, I opted to give them a roll.
You are just going have to trust me that the batons are hiding out in there.
The finished product didn't last long enough to gain photographic evidence of what was inside.
It kind of went like this.
Saturday morning, I woke up at 3:30 to pull them out of the refrigerator for their final rise. I gave them an egg-bath and let them have at it.
By 8:00 they were in the oven, baking up all golden and sweet. Within a few short hours, they were but a memory.
Three days of work, several new arm muscles, a boat load of butter and flour - gone. Demolished. Inhaled.
Which brings me to my ongoing cooking/ baking Solomon's baby. I enjoy getting into projects and the investment and interaction involved. I don't mind spending three days on a bread or putting together a cake that involves multiple components. It's what I do. However, there is this fleeting moment of internal angst that comes when it is time to release my "projects" to the public - the struggle between wanting to share and wanting to savor the accomplishment of a job done.
Yes, I will confess, that while I enjoyed the fact that they were so well received - a little piece of me crumbled inside that it was all over so quickly.
No, you can't have your croissants and eat them too.
And I am okay with that - you just have to give me a moment to say goodbye.
I think I've earned it.
Sigh.
This post participates in Tuesdays with Dorie. The recipe for croissants can be found over on the site of this week's very ambitious host: Amanda of Girl+Food=Love.Peace out.
Yum - chocolate batons would have been delish. I am glad your family loved them.
ReplyDeleteQuite a project! Love your description. Mine just came out of the oven, are already half gone...don't know if any will remain for breakfast? The night gremlins take them away. I need to find a quicker version for croissants...I'll have to check out the KA version. Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteThese were very good flavor-wise, but I don´t think it´s my favorite recipe. I can see why your pain au chocolat where a hit Cher! Good thing you enjoy making them, because they are gone in a second...!
ReplyDeleteSo impressed! I didn't have time and quite frankly don't have the space on my kitchen to make these babies. You need to train your family better to leave the food until the photo shoot is over LOL! ;)
ReplyDeleteI have new arm muscles, too! So glad you enjoyed them, too!!! I loved my almond ones!!!
ReplyDeleteI have used a recipe for a faux pain au chocolat (all the pleasure of chocolate and bread without the nuisance of all that laminating. I love the chocolate batons for that, and wish I'd had some for the croissants.
ReplyDeleteNice job on your croissants, and props for getting up at 3:30 so that they could have their final rise!
I'm impressed, Cher! I've never attempted croissants but I'll be homemade ones are worth the effort!
ReplyDeleteAnd, I know exactly how you feel - that's how we feel after a wonderful dinner party. All the work is done, all the food enjoyed, and all you have to show for it are lots of dirty dishes!
With deepest admiration for your accomplishment (as always)! I love croissants, LOVE them. They are the only un-attempted pastry in this house. Um, the 3:00 a.m stuff. Not so much for me--BUT, I am so very impressed. Now want to at least give them a try--maybe a six a.m. wake up, but def. not three!
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean. No matter how good the final result is, it's a bit of a let down when it's all over. That must be what keeps us baking.
ReplyDeleteLove the first pic. I contemplated getting up early to start the rise, too. Then I decided: enough with the insanity! After three+ days, I'll get to em when I get to em! I served them at 8pm instead. Alas, I'll never go pro.
ReplyDeleteWell done, glad you enjoyed them too!!!
ReplyDeleteIt was an interesting Tuesdays with Dorie, with a lot of work....but it was worth the work!!!
Farewell, lovely chocolate croissants!
ReplyDeleteI stashed half my batch in the freezer since hubby is out of town for the week. We'll enjoy them when he returns, warmed in the oven.
I was baking late into the night while you were waking at the wee hours! What baking dedication. :)
Hey, the picture of the empty pan says it all. Nice job on your successful outcome!
ReplyDeleteIt's a good thing I don't live by you. I'd be that annoying neighbor in the coffee commercial who shows up lickety-split at the door, any time I knew you were baking. Pain au chocolat? Oui oui!
ReplyDeleteSo difficult to take pictures of something that takes so long to make and then it's gone in 60seconds - I wholeheartedly agree with you! Love the croissant crumbs :)
ReplyDeleteMmm. They look delicious, Cher! I intend to make the chocolate ones in a few days... I hope mine turn out as perfectly as yours did!
ReplyDeleteOh Cher, I feel you. I also hate when I make something and I totally love it but my husband doesn't dig it as much and leaves me to eat the leftovers - then I feel like the item isn't receiving the accolades it deserves from anyone but me and I get frustrated. My dough is still in the fridge so I'm hoping they turn out as well as yours did!
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Cher. I really enjoyed it. So glad they were such a big hit!! But yes, it is always seems to be the way.....work so long on something to have it gone in minutes!!! argh! :)
ReplyDeleteWell done on successful croissants! I can't believe that you do this on a regular basis.
ReplyDeleteOh...these are so pretty...and divine. No wonder they were all gone in no time. Sop sop....I haven't try my hands on croissants yet. And I'm afraid they'll disappear even before I have a chance to take one single picture! arh.....but I want fresh pain au chocolat in my tummy!
ReplyDeleteYum! These look and sound delicious!
ReplyDeletePhotogenic or not, these certainly looked delicious my friend, who can resist wonderful croissants :)
ReplyDeleteCheers
CCU
3:30! Amazing. We ate ours at 9pm. Love your picture of the empty tray- it is a bit sad isn't it?
ReplyDeleteCher, this was certainly a baker´s challenge and I am not so sure that I want to go down that road again but they were delicious and I took the liberty and added some chocolate to mine as well. So much work and gone so quickly...you are so right. Your pains au chocolat look wonderful and despite the fact that they disappered in a flash, it is so nice to read and see that your family enjoyed them so much.
ReplyDeleteHave a great Wednesday!
Cher…gorgeous croissants! The fact that they disappeared so fast is a true testament to how wonderful they were! I have been on the road this week, and haven’t made mine yet…since we will be getting a snow storm to welcome us back home, I planned on starting these today.
ReplyDeleteDid you use cake yeast for yours? I only have regular yeast in my house…hopefully mine come out as well as yours!
These look great - I can totally understand why they disappeared so quickly! I'll have to give these a try some time when I've got more patience (and a bunch of people to feed). It certainly sounds like an involved process, but the effort seems to have been appreciated! Nice job!
ReplyDeleteYou are so fancy with your chocolate batons! I'm jealous! They look beautiful! The chocolate one didn't last long here either. They were the first to go. Why eat a regular croissant when you can have one with chocolate? :)
ReplyDelete3:30 in the morning? Woah. Which recipe do you prefer? (btw, I wrapped up half of mine and froze them. They are great reheated and I'm not as tempted to inhale them.) You make it look so easy!
ReplyDeleteI had to leave the house not long after they came out of the oven, so I only had a couple. By the time I came home later that afternoon, they were gone.
DeleteYes, all that work only to be consumed so quickly. I kept back a little bit of dough, so I'm going to make a few more this weekend. And then, who know when I'll have time to make them again.
ReplyDeleteOh,chocolate croissants, my favorite! They look absolutely delicious! We wanted to bake along with this recipe, but a broken computer and too little time got in the way. Something for the future though, it sounds like a lot of fun. After having made these, which is your favorite recipe for croissants? We've tried a few in the past and had some hits and misses.
ReplyDeleteSo far, the King Arthur recipe is my favorite. It seems the most concise.
DeleteI'm trying to figure the timing out to have these for breakfast; but no way am I getting up at 3:30! Hope your family appreciates the love! For us to have them in the morning, they will have to be day old. Ha haha.
ReplyDeleteCher-I'm so impressed that you made homemade chocolate filled croissants!!! No wonder they disappeared so fast-just a testament to your baking prowess ;)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! I am going to tackle this today and see if I can cut down on some of that resting time. I also have some chocolate batons hanging out in the pantry...
ReplyDeleteNow I want some! These look great!
ReplyDeleteI felt your pain but when you said, "It's what I do," I realized it was all really okay. I've always felt that way about Thanksgiving and Christmas - all that work, all that effort, 2 hours - gone. I'd usually be in the kitchen washing dishes while the rest of the family were off having fun. Always, not fair. However, your croissants/batons looked delicious and I cannot imagine the smells coming out of your kitchen early Saturday morning. Wow. 3:30AM - that's a record I don't want to beat. Well done, my friend.
ReplyDeleteBut we've had fun (is fun the right word?) and ate croissants too, not everyone can say that, right? Yours look delicious!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your post...laughed out loud about all the rolling and pounding! That was A LOT of rolling!!
ReplyDeleteThese were my first croissants ever so I cannot compare. But they were fun to make. I have dough left so the chocolate ones are next.
ReplyDeleteYou are too funny!!
At least you know they were good. I hope mine that I will be making next week turn out just as good!
ReplyDeletefunny how that happens--three days to make and three minutes to be gobbled up! same here.
ReplyDeleteI completely understand. I often spend hours (sometimes days) cooking and planning meals that then get inhaled in minutes. At least you have pictures. Your croissants look incredible, and I'm so impressed that you woke up at 3:30 to start the rise. I'm hoping to make them next month.
ReplyDelete