Butter croissants (laminated yeast dough)

Warm two-thirds of a cup of whole milk to 80 to 90 degrees; add a tablespoon of sugar and the yeast, stir, and set aside 5 to 10 minutes until foamy; if not foamy, start again with new yeast.

Whisk 480 g flour with 2.5 teaspoons salt and the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar (spoon the flour into the cup and level it if not weighing).

In the stand mixer combine the flour mix, the foamy yeast, half a cup of cold water and 4 tablespoons very soft European butter; mix with the dough hook on low about a minute until shaggy and coming together into a ball.

Turn onto plastic wrap, pat into a square about half an inch thick, wrap tightly and refrigerate half an hour.

Leave 1.25 cups cold European butter on the counter about 15 minutes; cut into 20 tablespoon pieces, lay in a 4 by 5 grid on a 12 inch parchment square, cover, and pound and roll into a 10 inch square about an eighth of an inch thick, patching to keep it square and chilling if it warms.

Chill the butter square about 10 minutes, so it firms but does not harden.

On a lightly floured pastry mat roll the dough to a 10 by 20 inch rectangle about a quarter inch thick, corners square; brush off flour.

Check the butter bends without cracking (otherwise 3 to 5 more minutes on the counter); flip it onto the centre of the dough, fold the dough ends to meet in the middle, pinch the seams and seal the butter in, roll gently and square the sides.

Roll to 10 by 18 inches with even force, pricking air bubbles; trim the lumpy edges, brush off flour and letter-fold into thirds.

Move to a parchment-lined baking sheet, neaten, wrap tightly and refrigerate half an hour. This is the first of four turns.

Repeat three more times: roll to 10 by 18 keeping the orientation, trim only the short ends, brush off flour, fold in thirds, wrap and chill half an hour between turns; press any escaping butter back with a bench scraper.

After the final fold wrap tightly and refrigerate overnight or up to 18 hours.

Roll the puffed dough on a floured mat to a 12 by 28 inch rectangle, piercing air pockets; if it tears, brush with water, pinch, cover and rest 5 minutes.

Mark the bottom edge every 4 inches and the top edge at 2 inches then every 4; cut into triangles.

Cut a half-inch notch in the base of each triangle, fold and stretch it out, then roll up from the thick end, pulling gently; set tip down in a C shape on parchment-lined sheets about six inches apart.

Cover lightly with plastic and rise 2.5 to 3 hours at about 72F until puffed and jiggly; preheat the oven to 425 after two hours.

Brush the tops lightly with an egg wash of one egg and a tablespoon of heavy cream, avoiding the cut sides.

Put in at 425 and reduce to 375 as soon as the door is closed; bake 15 to 20 minutes until deep golden brown, internal temperature 190.