Ingredients:
- 4 cups all-purpose flour (500g)
- 1/2 cup whole milk, warmed to about 110°F (125ml)
- 1/2 cup water, warmed to about 110°F (125ml)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar (50g)
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled (45g)
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into slices (225g)
- 1 large egg
- (Optional: a splash of milk or cream)
Instructions:
- In a small bowl, combine warm milk, warm water, and sugar. Sprinkle yeast over the top and let it sit for about 5 minutes until frothy.
- In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer with a dough hook attachment, combine flour and salt. Make a well in the center.
- Pour in the yeast mixture and melted butter into the well. Mix on low speed until combined.
- Knead for 8–10 minutes, either by hand on a floured surface or using your stand mixer at medium speed until you have a smooth dough.
- Form into a ball and place it in an oiled bowl; cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Allow it to rise in a warm place for about an hour, until doubled in size.
- While dough is rising, lay out parchment paper on your work surface and arrange sliced cold butter into an even rectangle roughly 7x9 inches.
- Place another piece of parchment paper over it and use a rolling pin to gently pound it down to flatten slightly before rolling out into that rectangle shape if needed.
- Refrigerate while waiting for your dough.
- Once risen, turn out onto lightly floured surface; roll into approximately 15x10 inches rectangle.
- Center your chilled butter block on one half of this rolled-out dough; fold other half over so that edges meet perfectly encasing butter inside.
- Pinch edges together securely to seal.
- Roll out again into long rectangle (24x10 inches) making sure not to tear through any areas where butter is visible.
- Wrap tightly in plastic wrap; refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before repeating steps of rolling/folding two more times; total turns should be three.