Croissants are delicious and a real labor of love.  They take time and butter, lots of time and lots of butter in fact.  They are best made over two days.  Day one is all about rolling, folding and chilling day two is rolling, cutting, cooking and eating (the best bit!). 

INGREDIENTS

• 625 g strong bread flour
• 12 g salt
• 75 g sugar
• 20 g dried yeast
• water, for mixing
• 500 g butter, chilled
• 1 egg, beaten

METHOD

1. Place the flour, salt, sugar and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon, slowly mix in a little water until the mixture forms into a pliable dough.
2. Place the dough on a floured surface and knead well until it feels smooth.
3. Return the dough to the bowl, cover and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
4. Return the chilled dough to your floured work surface and roll it into a rectangular shape, around 60cm by 30cm.
5. Roll out the chilled butter into a rectangle about 1cm thick, around 20cm by 30cm.
6. Place the butter rectangle in the centre of the dough rectangle, so it covers around two thirds of the dough.
7. Fold the remaining dough third over the butter layer, so that the dough is now in 3 layers.
8. Return the dough to the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.
9. Scatter some more flour over your table and roll out the dough to a rectangular shape, around 60cm by 30 cm.
10. Repeat the folding process, then return the dough to the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
11. Repeat this process of folding and chilling two more times, then wrap the dough in cling film and set it aside to rest for an hour or overnight. 
12. Using a rolling pin, roll out the rested dough to 3mm thickness.
13. Cut the rolled out dough into squares, each square 20cm by 20cm.
14. Cut each square diagonally, making 2 triangles from each dough square.
15. Place the dough triangles on a lightly floured surface with the narrow point facing away from you.
16. Roll each dough triangle up over itself and curl the dough roll around into a traditional crescent shape.
17. Place the shaped croissants on baking trays lined with silicone baking parchment and leave to rise for 1 hour, 30 minutes.
18. Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas 6.
19. Lightly egg-wash the croissants and bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown.