Croissants

Method

1. Heat milk in a saucepan over low heat to lukewarm, transfer to a large bowl with sugar and yeast and stir to combine. Add flour and 2 tsp salt, knead to form a soft sticky dough (5 minutes), adding more flour if necessary. Form dough into a rectangle, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled (1 hour).
2. Pound butter with a rolling pin to soften to a similar consistency as the dough, then place between sheets of baking paper and roll out to a 20cm x 12cm rectangle. Refrigerate until required.
3. Roll dough on a lightly floured surface to a 40cm x 25cm rectangle. Place butter in centre of dough so that long sides are parallel to short sides, fold long sides of dough over butter, then fold short sides of dough over butter to enclose.
4. Flatten dough slightly by pressing with rolling pin, then roll out to a 40cm x 25cm rectangle. Brush off excess flour with a pastry brush.
5. Turn pastry so a long side is facing you. Fold the left one-third over the pastry, then fold the right one-third over the top. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate to rest (1 hour). Roll and fold dough three more times, resting in between, then wrap and refrigerate until well rested (8-12 hours).
6. Trim dough, cut in half (return one half to refrigerator), then roll remaining half on a lightly floured surface to a 40cm x 30cm rectangle and trim edges.
7. Cut each half in half again widthways (return one half to refrigerator), then cut widthways into 3 rectangles. Cut each rectangle diagonally in half to make triangles, repeat with remaining dough. (Keep dough in refrigerator until ready to use.)
8. Working quickly, gently roll and stretch short edges to lengthen.
9. Roll up triangles from base towards tip, finishing with tip underneath, then curve ends to create a crescent.
10. Arrange croissants 5cm apart on oven trays lined with baking paper, then place a few glasses on trays, cover each tray with a plastic bag and set aside in a draught-free place until tripled in size (1-2 hours).
11. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 220C. Remove bags and glasses, reduce oven to 200C. Spray water inside oven to create steam, then bake two trays of croissants, swapping and turning trays halfway through cooking, until deep golden (20-25 minutes). Increase oven to 220C and repeat with remaining trays.
12. Stand for 10 minutes before serving.