The most tender and tasty croissants were made by my mother during holiday and we ate them in a single breath, warm and puffy and only after we were full, we took pity and brought some of the pastries to our cousins who lived next to our house in the countryside.
If, in the beginning, the recipe for the dough was very simple, only with water, flour, sugar and lard (or crude fat) and the filling was with Turkish delight, marmalade or jam, in time, the recipe was improved as the lard was replaced with butter and chocolate can be used as filling.
I will show you a recipe of tender croissants which is made fast with Turkish delight filling.
Ingredients: 550 gr flour; 350 gr butter with at least 80% fat (or lard); 150 gr powdered sugar; 2 egg yolks; salt; vanilla; lemon zest; 250 gr Turkish delight.
Preparation of dough: The butter is cut into pieces and put into a large bowl. Add flour, yolks and powdered sugar, salt, vanilla and the lemon zest. The dough is kneaded by hand (or with the mixer). If the dough is not mixed, you can gradually add 1-2 table spoons of cold water. Knead until the butter is mixed entirely into the dough. Then, put the dough on a food grade foil and leave for 30 minutes in a cool place (not in the refrigerator).
Slicing and modeling of croissants: The dough is divided in 3 equal parts. Make a circle from one part with a diameter of about 30-35 cm. Firstly, cut the circle in half then in quarters and then in eights and each eight is cut in half so that to obtain 16 triangles. On each triangle, put a piece of Turkish delight after shredding the Turkish delight beforehand. Roll from the base to the apex and then put it on a tray covered with baking paper. The tray is put in the preheated oven and cook for 15 minutes at 170° C. Take them out and put them in a recipient and sprinkle some powdered sugar when they are still hot for the sugar to stick.
They can be eaten warm but also cold. They are puffy and tasty.
A delicious treat!