Tender Portuguese Croissants | No Lamination
Made with enriched brioche-style dough, with butter mixed directly into the dough rather than laminated. The result is a soft, fluffy, tender crumb with a lightly crisp exterior, rich, easy to make, and perfect for sweet or savory fillings.
Servings 20 Croissants
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1 Recipe Brioche dough
- 1 Cup Unsalted butter, soft (226g)
For The Syrup
- 3/4 Cup Water (180ml)
- 1 Cup Sugar (200g)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1/4 Cup Port wine
Instructions
- Over a lightly floured surface, roll one part of the dough into an 18x9-inch rectangle.
- Spread four tableaspoons soft butter over the surface of the dough.
- Fold the right one third of the dough over the center, then fold the left third of the dough over the top.
- Repeat the last two steps.
- Roll the dough into a 21x14 inch rectangle, mark the four inch points. Use a sharp knife or a pizza roller to cut the dough from one mark toward the top in a diagonal line and back.
- Roll each triangle from the bottom wide, while gently streching the dough.
- Place the pastires over a baking sheet line with parchment paper, brush with egg wash and allow to rest for 3-5 hours.
- Bake at 400F (200C) for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350F (180C) and bake for additional 8-10 minutes.
Make the syrup
- Place the water, suagr, vanilla and port wine in a medium sized pan and bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Store until the sugar is dissolved, then reduce heat to simmer and cook for 4-5 minutes.
- Immidiately after remving the pastires from the oven, brush them with a pastry crush and serve.
Notes
- The pastries are best on the same day and can be stored at room temperature for up to two days.
- To freeze, place the pasties in a freeze bag and freeze for up to three months. To warm, heat for 5-10 minutes in a 350F (180C) preheated oven.
- Resting time is very important: Begin by allowing the dough to rest overnight in the refrigerator, as this extended resting period is vital for flavor and pastry texture development. The same patience is required for the second resting phase, which should span between 3 to 5 hours.
- Use tape to mark the dimensions for easy guidance during the process.
- If you notice the dough warming up, refrigerate it for 10 minutes between folds.
- It is hard to know if the pastries are done. Despite their puffy appearance, prematurely taken-out pastries might have raw dough inside. Slicing one from the center is the most reliable method to ascertain readiness. If the dough remains raw, it requires additional baking time.
- When applying one or two layers of butter, adhere to the baking instructions on the recipe card. Alternatively, if omitting butter or utilizing the Brioche Croissants technique, follow the specific baking instructions provided in the recipe