Croissant

1. Mix the flour, sugar, salt, yeast, lukewarm milk and water into a shaggy dough, knead for about 5 minutes until smooth and supple, then shape into a tight ball and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight to relax the gluten.
2. Pound 250 g of cold butter between two sheets of paper into a neat 16 cm square slab and keep it cool but pliable, reserving the remaining 30 g for greasing the trays.
3. Roll the chilled dough into a rectangle, seal the butter slab inside like an envelope so it is fully enclosed, then give the block three single folds, chilling the dough for 30 minutes between each turn so the layers stay distinct.
4. Roll the laminated dough out to about 4 mm thick, cut long narrow triangles, then stretch each gently and roll up firmly from the wide base to the tip, curving the ends inward into a crescent.
5. Arrange the croissants tip-down on a lined tray spaced well apart, cover loosely and prove for about 2 hours at warm room temperature until visibly puffy and jiggly.
6. Brush with beaten egg and bake at 200 C for 16 to 18 minutes until deep golden brown and crisp, then cool on a rack so the centres set before eating.

You'll use: Oven