Croissants are instantly recognisable pastry that can be found around the world in sweet or savoury form.
The ubiquitous croissant first appeared on our radar in the 1840s and not in France (the kipferl actually hails from Austria but was adopted by the French and, with a few modifications, became the iconic pastry we know and love). Since then it has become a global go-to for many people starting their day. When I worked in France I used to love looking at all patisserie and hoping they were egg free! Clearly they were not! This is my Vegan Croissants give it a go and let me know what you think.
Ingredients
- 1½2 teaspoons fast-action dried yeast
- 1 teaspoon soft brown sugar
- 150 ml sweetened soya milk, warmed
- 250 g plain flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 50 g coconut oil, melted
- 100 g bar of dairy-free chocolate (if you are feeling indulgent)
Instructions
- Mix the yeast with the sugar and the warm soya milk in a small bowl.
- Place the flour and salt in a large bowl and mix it half the coconut oil. Make a well in the centre, pour in the yeast mixture and gradually work it in with a fork to make a dough.
- Flour a work surface and knead the dough for about 10 minutes until smooth. Roll out and spread with
the remaining coconut oil. Cut the dough in half, put one half on top of the other, then roll up tightly. Wrap it in a
plastic bag and put it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. - When you're ready to make the croissants, divide the chilled dough into 3 pieces and roll each one into a
square. Place the squares on separate pieces of baking parchment, roll them up and chill until needed. - To make plain croissants, cut the squares in half diagonally, then roll them up loosely from the longest edge towards the point. Bring the 2 ends around to touch each other, making a crescent shape.
- To make chocolate croissants, place 2 squares of chocolate in the triangles and roll them up as
described in step 5 - Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas Mark 4.
- Leave the croissants to rise for 30 minutes.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes, depending how brown you like them.
