Croissants with Frangipane and Peaches + Puff Pastry recipe

To tell the truth, I didn't even think about making croissants until my Lviv weekend. 

First of all I'm not a huge fan of puff pastry. This kind of pastry seemed for me too boring (if I can use this word)....I mean I don't like the ratio of pastry to the filling, cos the amount of the last one is always much less than my expectations...so what's the point in eating "bread"..?

Secondly, I always thought they are very difficult in the making. It is so much easier to use bought from the store puff pastry (actually, I've been doing just so up to this day=). 

So, back to Lviv...

If you've been reading This is a Sweet blog before, you have to remember this Lviv post , in which I came to a conclusion that Lviv is a food capital of Ukraine. I have to admit, that the amount of cafes, restaurants, confectioneries per square centimeter there is enormous! Okay..closer to the topic.

Walking through the city center we noticed one small and very cute cafe with an attractive offer of fresh-baked croissants. And we decided to have our last breakfast in Lviv in that place. As you already know I do not  feel very enthusiastic about croissants....but they were looking so good!!

What is more, I completely liked the taste! They were so light and puffy ....and (what is the greatest thing!!) not stingy with the filling (custard and fresh strawberries..mmm...).

And for the first time the miracle has happened! With each bite of this heavenly food, the idea of making croissants at home was appearing in my mind.

 

At first I was thinking of making croissants the same as those from Lviv, but I felt kinda tired of using strawberries in baking, plus the strawberry season has almost come to an end. But in contrast to this, peaches are already at their best ))) To end up the taste there is nothing better than frangipane (almond cream), which is made from butter, sugar, eggs and almond meal.

Notes:

• If you can't find almond meal, you can easily make it at home. Take 1/2 cup of blanched almonds and the amount of flour from the recipe and process these ingredients in your food processor until finely ground. !!!!!!Make sure not to over process, because you do not need paste ! but meal   !!!!!
• Making croissants with homemade dough will take you 2 days (first - for making the dough and refrigerating it overnight, second - baking the croissants)
• You can use store bought puff pastry, just defrost it as per manufacture's instructions.
• The Puff Pastry recipe makes four pieces, to make croissants I used only one (makes 6 croissants). The rest 3 pieces I put in the freezer. This means that from one batch of dough you can make lots of different things))

Croissants with Frangipane and Peaches

Puff pastry (Pastry recipe taken from Top with Cinnamon , thanks Izy for lots of gifs!!)

250 ml cold milk

125 ml boiling water

1 tbsp active dry yeast

50 g sugar

500 g all purpose flour

1 tsp salt

250 g butter (frozen and then left at room temperature for 20-30 min)

Frangipane

50 g granulated white sugar 

42 g unsalted butter

1 large egg 

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

42 g almond meal

1 tbsp all purpose flour

Peach filling

2 fresh peaches

2 tbsp sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional)

Make the dough
In a bowl stir together milk, water, sugar and yeast. Let stand for about 5 minutes until foamy. Add in flour and salt, incorporate with your hands into a ball. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 2 minutes, adding flour if necessary. You have to make a soft, slightly sticky dough. 

Put the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a plastic wrap and chill about 1 hour.
While the dough is in the fridge, take the butter (which has been left at room temperature for 20-30 min!) and grate onto a piece of plastic wrap. Form from the butter a rectangle 20 x 12 cm (8" x 5"), wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

 













































After the dough and butter has chilled, unwrap the dough and roll onto lightly floured work surface into 40 x 25 cm (16" x 10") rectangle.

Unwrap the butter and put in center of dough. Fold the dough on thirds over the butter (as a letter): bottom third of dough over butter, then top third down over dough.

Make "folds"
Rotate the dough 90 degrees (so a short side is nearest you), then flatten dough slightly by pressing down horizontally with rolling pin across dough at regular intervals, making uniform impressions. Roll out dough into a 40 x 25 cm (15" x 10") rectangle. 

Fold in thirds like a letter.Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour. This was the first fold.

You need to do 3 more folds (together with the first one - 4). - refrigerating the dough for an hour after each fold.

After completing the fourth fold, cut the dough into 4 pieces. Wrap each one in a plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 8-12 hours before shaping. Or freeze for up to 3 month. 

Make Frangipane Filling

Early next day prepare the filling. Beat the sugar and butter until creamy. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until smooth. Add in flour and almond meal, beat until incorporated. Cover with a plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Make Peach Filling

To remove the skin from peaches, put them in a bowling water for 30-60 seconds and transfer to a large bowl of ice water (to prevent cooking process). Now the skin slips easily from peaches. 
Cut peaches into slices. In a bowl mix sliced peaches with sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

Shape the dough

Remove one piece of dough from the fridge, unwrap it, and roll out on a lightly floured surface into a  40 x 15 cm (16″ x 6″) rectangle.

Cut into thirds, forming 3 smaller rectangles. Cut each of these rectangles in half diagonally forming 6 triangles.

Take one triangle and and pull on the short edge to form am equilateral triangle. Cut in the center of the short side a small slit, this will help to make crescent shape. Now take a triangle and holding the short side, stretch it.

Place 1 tsp of frangipane and spread evenly on the triangle, then place on it 2 peach slices, about 1 cm from the edges. Fold bottom edge of dough over peaches and roll up dough around them. Place, seam side down, on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the rest croissants, placing  5 cm (2") appart. 

Whisk the egg and slightly brush the croissants. Place in a cool place for 1 - 1 1/2  hours.

Preheat the oven to 220 Degrees C and put into the oven. Lower the temperature to 200 degrees C and bake for 10 minutes. Then reduce the temperature to 180 degrees C and bake for more 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Let croissants cool on the pan.

And enjoy!

See you!
Xo