DETRÉMPE
To prepare the dough block: Pour the warm milk into a small bowl and whisk in 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Whisk in the yeast and set aside for 10 minutes, or until the yeast is activated and the mixture is bubbling.

Combine the flour, remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar, salt, and cold butter pieces. Cut the butter into the dry mixture until it resembles sand. Add the yeast mixture and the cold milk. Combine ingredients until the liquid is absorbed and the dough has formed a very rough mass - do not over mix, you don’t want to activate any gluton. Dust a work surface lightly with flour and turn out the dough onto it. Knead the dough 3 to 5 times, just to finish bringing it together. The dough will not be smooth or elastic; it will become fully kneaded and smooth during the rolling and turning process ahead. Don't overwork the dough now or you'll have trouble rolling it later. Wrap the dough loosely in plastic wrap (to allow a little room for expansion) and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes.

BEURRAGE
To prepare the butter block: Cut the butter into 1/2-inch pieces, toss with the flour, and refrigerate for 20 minutes. First, place the chilled floured butter pieces between two sheets of plastic wrap and create a single rough mass by pounding with a rolling pin. Roll out the butter to so that it is evenly distributed into a 9 1/2” by 11” rectangle. Refrigerate while you roll out the dough.


INCORPORATING BUTTER INTO DOUGH
Dust the work surface with flour. Set the dough in the center and dust the top with flour. Roll the dough into a 12 by 15 inch rectangle with a short side parallel to the edge of your work surface. Gently pull and stretch the dough to form a rectangle with straight edges and sharp corners. Brush any flour from the surface. Visually divide the dough crosswise into 3 equal, 5-inch wide sections (you can lightly mark the dough with a ruler or the back of a knife if you wish). Peel off one sheet of plastic wrap and invert the buttered rectangle over the dough rectangle, center it, and peel off the other sheet. Spread the cold but pliable butter evenly over the top two sections of dough, leaving the bottom third empty and leaving a 1/2 inch border around the edges of the buttered sections. This is best done with your fingers, since the butter isn't quite warm enough to spread easily with a spatula.



TURN ONE - Letter Fold: Encasing the butter: Fold the empty bottom third up over the center two-thirds of the dough with the butter. Then fold the top buttered third down over the center. Pinch together the seams along the bottom and sides of the dough. Use your rolling pin to gently roll across the top briefly 3 or 4 times to help seal the seams. This completes both the incorporation of the butter and your first turn of the dough. If the butter has become warm, wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour before continuing with the second turn. If you have worked quickly and the butter is still cold yet pliable, continue with the next turn.

TURN TWO - Book Fold: Dust your work surface and the too of the dough with flour. Position the dough with the short side parallel to your work surface and the long fold on your left. Roll into a 24 by 12-inch rectangle. Brush any flour from the surface of the dough. Fold the dough using the book fold method: Fold the two short edges into the center of the dough, leaving a 1/4-inch crevice between them. Line up the edges precisely and square the corners as you fold. Now fold one side over the other, as though you were closing a book. Roll your pin across the top of the dough briefly and gently 3 or 4 times to seal the seams. This completes your second turn. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.

TURN THREE - Letter Fold: Remove dough from refrigerator, dust with flour and roll into a 24 by 12-inch rectangle again. Brush any flour from the surface of the dough. Fold the dough using the letter fold method making sure to square the corners and fold as neatly and precisely as possible. Using your rolling pin roll across the top of the dough again briefly to help seal the seams. This completes your third turn. The croissant dough is finished. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours before cutting, shaping and baking the dough.


CUTTING CROISSANTS:
1. Remove dough from refrigerator, dust with flour and roll into a 24 by 12-inch rectangle again. Brush
any flour from the surface of the dough.
2. Cut the dough into 2 strips 6” by 24”. Proceed with one strip and place the second strip in the frig until
ready for use.
3. Using a ruler start from the top right and mark every 4 inches with a small slit.
4. Then, startng from the bottom left corner, using a ruler make a small 2 inch slit and then mark every 4
inches from there with a small slit.
5. Starting from the first slit in the bottom left corner make a cut to the top left corner.
6. Then make a cut from the top slit to the bottom first slit making a triangle.
7. Repeat cutting triangles.


ROLLING CROISSANTS:
1. Gently elongate each piece of croissant dough by stretching it.
2. Then strech the top two corners slightly.
3. Starting from the top, roll the dough till the tip.
4. Seal the tip with a dap of egg wash and place tip down on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. 5. Cover losely and let rise till croissants puff up and are spongy and fluffy to the touch, preferably 2
hours but at least 30 minutes.

10. PROOFING: Preheat oven to 204°C/400°F.
11. BAKING: After croissants have risen, coat each with egg wash and bake for approximately 15 minutes or until nicely risen and golden brown.