Flaky Crescent Rolls

These crescent rolls are worth the little extra bit of effort. They’re flaky, buttery and versatile to meet any breakfast or brunch need you have. They’re simply perfect and delicious in every way. Crescent Rolls are also very versatile so you can leave them plain or have them with jam!

Growing up, I’ve never been a huge fan of flaky pastries but ever since I visited Dominique Ansel bakery in NYC last year, things changed. I started to fall in love with looking at and peeling each layer of flaky pastry before eating croissants. Strange? probably. Obsessed? Absolutely!

Crescent rolls vs. Croissants

Now I’m new to the whole pastry thing so I didn’t want to go ahead and start off with something like croissants so I decided to choose something similar, crescent rolls!

They may look similar on the outside but crescent rolls and croissants are actually quite different on the inside. Crescent rolls use yeast in their dough so the structure is much sturdier and more bread-like. However, just like croissants, crescent rolls also have layers on the inside.

The method of making the two are also different. With crescent rolls, the butter is cut using a pastry cutter and blended into the dough before you make the layers. While, croissants get the block of butter layered in slowly using a process called lamination.

No Pastry cutter? No problem!

Typically when you are making pastries, you use a special tool called a pastry cutter to essentially cut the butter into smaller chunks so it can integrate into the dough and melt when baking.

Since I don’t make pastry very often, I don’t own a pastry cutter so I resorted back to using the way my Home Ec teacher taught me, using two butter knives or squishing it with cold hands!

I for one prefer doing it with my hands because I feel like I can incorporate more of my love into the dough that way but to each their own.

After making my first batch of crescent rolls, I was surprised as to how well they turned out! To be honest, I was a bit worried at first because the dough was SO STICKY to start but chilling it in the fridge definitely helped so don’t skip this step!

Once I saw success, I became more willing to try new things using the crescent dough, I tried a batch where I rolled mini chocolate chips into it, one where I used cocktail sausages, and even one with cream cheese! The possibilities are truly endless!

Let me know how you like to have your crescent rolls best! Even though I loved rolling different things into them, my favourite will always be having it with a dollop of strawberry jam

Flaky Crescent Roll recipe

Ingredients (makes 12)

• 1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup cold butter cut into cubes
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 egg

Method

1. Combine the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Add in the cubes of butter. If you have a pastry cutter, great! If you are like me and don’t have a pastry cutter, use your fingers! Cut or squish the chunks of butter into grape sized pieces.
   
2. Stir in the milk and eggs until a dough forms. It should be on the sticky side but still workable with the dough coming away from the sides of the bowl. Knead the dough ball together so that the ingredients are mixed in evenly. If it is too dry, add in more milk 1 tablespoon at a time.
   
3. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and allow the dough to chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
   
4. Once chilled, lightly flour a surface and put the dough ball in the middle. Roll the dough out into a large 1/2″ thick rectangle. With the horizontal side of the rectangle facing towards you, fold the right 1/3 of the rectangle into the middle. Then fold the left 1/3 of the portion into the middle. The portions should overlap.
   
5. Rotate the folded rectangle 90 degrees. Roll the dough out into a larger rectangle again and repeat the 1/3 folds once again. Repeat 3 more times. This helps create the layers of the crescent roll.
   
6. Roll the dough into a large 1/4″ rectangle and cut into 3 equal portions vertically. Then, cut the rectangle in half horizontally. You should have 6 small rectangles. Cut the rectangles diagonally across to form 12 triangles.
   
7. Starting from the straight end of the triangle, roll it up to form the crescent roll shape. Place on to a lined baking sheet. Continue for the remaining triangles.
   
8. Cover the rolls loosely and place in a warm place to allow for the rolls to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
   
9. Bake at 400F for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

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