French Croissants (a la' Munger at high-altitude)

If you can resist one of these when they come out of the oven–you have incredible will power!

The basis for the delicious recipe comes from O Chef . com. I made some changes to help with high altitude and how I cook.

3 Tablespoons of flour
3/4 pound of butter at slightly cooler than room temperature

Sprinkle half the flour on a sheet of aluminum foil. Place the butter on the foil in three sticks slightly apart. Sprinkle the rest of the flour on top and sides of the butter. Now flatten the butter into one 6" square, working the flour into the butter surfaces to help keep it from sticking to the foil. Wrap the butter in the foil and place in the refrigerator to chill.

In kitchen-aid mixer bowl blend
2 Tbsp. yeat with 1/4 cup warm water
Add warmed  1 3/4 cups of milk and 1/4 cup of heavy cream
Let rest until bubbly.

Next add
2 cups of flour
2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
Blend together with flat beater.

Change to dough hook and add flour 1/4-1/2 cup at a time. It will take approximately 4 1/2-5 cups of flour to reach a soft, non-sticky dough. Knead for approximately 4-5 minutes. Cover dough with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for 1 hour.

Take butter out of refrigerator approximately 10 minutes before removing dough. The butter must be pliable but not sticky when you remove the dough from the refrigerator.

Place the dough on a floured work surface and flatten to a 10" square. Place butter on dough diagonally. Fold dough corners over butter sealing edges together. Now roll into a rectangle. (Dough and butter should be pliable not sticky.) Fold dough into thirds. Seal edges. Roll into a large rectangle again. Now fold outside short edges to center. Fold in half like a book. Seal edges again. Wrap the dough loosely in plastic wrap and put in refrigerator for 2 hours.

Place dough on floured surface. Unwrap and roll out into a rectangle. Fold in thirds. Seal edges. Wrap again in loose plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator over-night.

Mix 1 egg and 1 Tbsp of water. This is your egg wash.

Cut dough in half with pizza cutter on a floured surface. Put half the dough back in the plastic wrap. Roll the other half into a 1/4" thick rectangle 10" wide. Cut the croissants into triangles with a 5" base with a pizza cutter. Roll starting at the base going to the tip. Curve to form the classic croissant shape. Place on silicone lined baking sheets. Work the other half of the dough the same way. Re-shape the trimmings into usable pieces. Cover the baking sheets with a tea towel and let rise for up to 2 hours. They should double in size.

You may now freeze the croissants or precede to baking.

To freeze: Place baking sheets in freezer. When the croissants are solidly frozen remove to a plastic freezer bag. To bake frozen croissants: Wash with egg wash and bake frozen. It will take just a little longer.


To bake immediately: Wash with egg wash. Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes. They should be golden not browned.

Croissants should be cooled before serving.

Monthly Menus

Several women were discussing the dread of planning meals in the church kitchen on Easter morning. I've found it easier to have several weeks of menus planned ahead. One way to make this easier is to use themes.

Here is a picture of the current spreadsheet we are on. We are on the last week. Which means there has been several menus slid to new locations. For instance the last Wednesday menu needs lettuce and I don't have any. When I looked at the store yesterday it was way to expensive. I will substitute Burritos.

For instance, Tuesdays are Italian night and Wednesdays are Mexican at our house currently. Wednesday breakfast is also when we have Sourdough Waffles each week.

Now this doesn't mean that we always have meals exactly when and where planned. It just means I plan and grocery shop for these. It is much easier to flex with a plan in place. If I already shopped for the needed ingredients then I can easily slide meals around without robbing Peter's ingredients to make Paul's.

It makes shopping much easier too. I just compare what we have with what is needed and put the difference on the grocery shopping list. With some regularity to meal types I can stockpile ingredients when they are on sale and know they will be used.

Whole Wheat & Spelt Bread Experiment

Below is my standard 100% Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread recipe. I use Bronze Chief from Wheat Montana Visit here.
Today instead of using all wheat, I subbed 1 cup of Spelt Berries into the grinder. Here is how my bread turned out.

Smells wonderful!!!

Here is the recipe:

Grind 6 1/2 cups of hard wheat berries

In large mixer bowl combine:
3 1/2 cups very warm water
1/2 cup oil or melted butter
1/2 cup honey
1 Tbsp. ground flaxseed ( I also get this from Wheat Montana!)

Add 3 cups of the freshly ground flour and 2 Tbsp. active dry yeast. Let sit till bubbly.

Add 1 egg and 1 Tbsp. salt.

Turn on machine with dough hook and add more flour. Till the sides and bottom of bowl are clean. Knead for almost 10 minutes. (Add more flour if needed. But keep the dough slightly sticky.)

Cover, let rise to doubled.

Coat breadboard with oil or spray. Form 2  large loaves. Let rise to doubled covered in greased pans. Bake at 360°F for 35 - 40 minutes.

Rub tops with butter when you remove from oven. Turn out on sides to cool on rack.