Chocolate Soufflé

Pork Chops

Bread and Butter Pudding

Croissants (makes 24)

This recipe is from a book called “the cook’s book, recipes & step-by-step techniques from top chefs” published: 2005 by Dorling Kindersley

Ingredients:

·         12g ( ½ oz) fresh yeast or 7g ( ¼ oz) dried yeast

·         200ml (7fl oz) water at 20°C (68°F)

·         600g (1lb 6oz) strong white flour

·         12g (2tsp) salt  (fleur de sel)

·         75g (2 ½ oz) caster sugar

·         35g (1oz) very soft unsalted butter

·         15g ( ½ oz) full-fat milk powder

·         325g (12oz) unsalted butter, chilled

FOR THE GLAZE

·         2 eggs

·         1 egg york

·         Pinch of salt

Method

1.        Dissolve the yeast in two-thirds of the water. Sift the flour into a large bowl. Mix in the salt, sugar, very soft butter, milk powder and dissolved yeast. Knead everything together quickly. If the dough is still a little stiff, add the rest of the water. Cover with cling film. Rest at room temperature for 1-1 ½ hour.

2.        When the dough has doubled in size, remove it from the bowl, punch it down, and return it to the bowl. Cover the bowl with cling film and put in the fridge for 1- 1 ¼ hours. Remove the dough from the bowl, punch down again, cover with cling film and place in the freezer for a further 30 minutes.

3.       Remove the dough from the freezer. Knead the cold butter until it is soft. On a floured surface, roll the dough out to a rectangle 3 times longer than it is wide. Place half the butter along the bottom edge of the dough. With the palm of your hand, push the butter to cover two-thirds of the rectangle dough.

4.       Fold the rectangle of dough into thirds, folding the unbuttered top third down first. Wrap the folded dough in cling film. Let rest in the freezer for 30 minutes and then in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

5.       Roll out the dough into a rectangle as before and spread with the remainder of the butter. Fold into thirds again and wrap in cling film. Let rest in the freezer for 30 minutes and then in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

6.       Flour the work surface then roll out the dough until it is 3mm (1/8 in) thick. Using a sharp knife cut out triangles 20 cm (8in) high by 12 cm (5in) across the base.

7.       To shape, place a triangle with the base nearest to you, roll it up, and then bring the ends round towards each other to make a crescent. Place the croissants 5cm (2in) apart on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment. Leave to rise at room temperature for 1 ½ - 2 hours.

8.       Preheat the oven to 230°C, place the eggs, egg yolk, and salt in a bowl and whisk together. Brush the croissants with egg glaze, then place in the oven and reduce the temperature to 190°C. Bake for 20 minutes. Then remove from the oven and cool on a baking tray.