Pretzel Croissants

Pretzel Croissants taste like a pretzel but they're shaped like croissants, complete with all the flaky layers you'll love.

Yesterday I posted a fast and easy 5 ingredient recipe for Tropical Salsa Chicken, and today I post a 13 ingredient recipe for these Pretzel Croissants that take roughly 2 days to make and have like 100 steps. Yep, I like to give you recipe options on this blog. LOL

In my mind, spending time in the kitchen should be as fun and as rewarding as possible. Whether it's a fast and easy meal or snack you want to whip up in a jiffy, or if it's something a whole lot more challenging, the outcome of a rewarding and tasty dish at the end of the task is always worth the time spent in the kitchen. I believe you feel the same as I do about this or you probably wouldn't be here...am I right?

PRETZEL CROISSANTS   {PRINT THIS RECIPE}
Yield: 12 croissants     Prep Time: 48+ hours (includes rise time)   Bake Time: 30 minutes

For the dough:
½ cup lukewarm like (110-115°)
1 package (2 ¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast
3 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar, divided
3 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (plus more for rolling)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons room temperature butter (I always use salted)
½ cup cold wine (or beer)

For the butter block:
3 sticks of cold butter
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1-gallon zip lock bag

For the topping:
¼ cup baked, baking soda (spread on a baking sheet and bake at 250° for 1 hour)
3 cups water
1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon of water
kosher salt
sesame seeds (optional)

To make the dough:
-In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm milk and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. Allow to sit and get foamy (about 5 minutes).
-In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, remaining brown sugar, and salt.
-Using your fingertips, rub the 2 tablespoons of softened butter into the flour mixture, until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
-Stir in the yeast mixture and the wine (or beer) and use a wooden spoon to stir the mixture into a shaggy dough.
-Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it by hand 8 - 10 times until all the flour has been incorporated. *Note - the dough will be on the dry side but if you feel it is too dry, add a little ice water (1 tablespoon at a time) and knead it into the dough quickly so the butter does not melt.
-Lightly oil a large bowl and place the dough inside. Oil the top of the dough and cover with plastic wrap.
-Place the dough in the refrigerator for 8 to 24 hours (the longer you leave it, the better flavor you'll develop).
-While the dough is chilling, make the butter block.

To make the butter block:
-Beat the 3 sticks of butter along with the 2 tablespoons flour in a stand mixer using the paddle attachment until it forms a smooth mass. *Note - do this quickly as you don't want the butter to melt or become too airy.
-Use a spatula to place the butter into the gallon zip-lock bag and use a rolling pin to carefully roll the butter inside the bag to form an even sheet of butter. *Note - you'll need to allow the air to escape from the bag from time to time but make sure you zip it closed when you continue rolling.
-Place the butter block in the refrigerator to chill completely (along with the dough), making sure it sits flatly.

To form the croissants:
1st turn:
-On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into roughly a 10"x15" rectangle. *Note - this will take some time and muscle because the dough is cold, but keep with it.
-Brush the excess flour off the dough and make sure the longer edge is facing you.
-Remove the butter block from the fridge and using scissors cut down one side of the bag to easily remove it from the bag.
-Mentally divide the dough into 3 equal portions.
-Place the butter block over ⅔'s of the dough, lengthwise, on the right side.
-Fold the empty ⅓ left portion of the dough towards the middle.
-Now lift and fold the right portion of the dough towards the middle. *Note - You will now have 3 layers of dough and 2 layers of butter.
-Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

2nd turn:
-On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into another 10"x15" rectangle and do another tri-folding of the dough. Square the edges if needed (I used a pizza cutter).
-Wrap the dough again in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.

Final shaping:
-Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
-On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 15"x18" rectangle that is ¼" thick. *Note - you may need to clean up, and straighten the edges with a pizza cutter.
-Using that same pizza cutter, cut the dough in half lengthwise creating 2 15"x9" sheets of dough.
-Cut each strip of dough into 3 equal portions (vertically), making 6 equal-sized squares.
-Cut each square, corner to corner, making 12 individual triangles.
-Gently stretch the dough using your hands and roll each triangle (starting from the wide end).
-Place the rolled dough onto the parchment-lined baking sheets and gently form the dough into a crescent "U" shape, making sure the point of the dough is pointing downward.
-Continue the same process with the remaining dough, placing 6 croissants on each sheet.
-Cover the croissants with damp paper towels and allow the dough to rise at room temperature for about 90 minutes.

For topping and baking:
-Preheat the oven to 425° Fahrenheit
-In a medium bowl, add the baked, baking soda to 3 cups of water to dissolve.
-Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the tops and sides of the pretzel croissants with the baking soda solution.
-In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and 1 tablespoon of water.
-Brush each croissant with the egg wash.
-Sprinkle the tops of each croissant with the kosher salt and the sesame seeds (if desired).
-Bake in a preheated oven for 18-20 minutes or until the croissants are a deep, golden brown.
-Remove the baking sheets to a wire rack to cool.
-Best served slightly warm and within 24 hours of baking (this shouldn't be an issue). LOL

There now, that wasn't hard, was it? LOL Not hard, just a little time-consuming...but well worth the effort!