These crescent rolls are the exact ones I grew up enjoying, at first with a cup of tea, and then with coffee. One of the tried and true recipes that has stood the test of time, that has been made thousands of times, and that has never failed to produce a batch of golden crescent rolls, perfect for dipping into icy cold jam while still hot.
They do require a bit of planning, though, because the butter needs to be frozen solid, as it needs to be grated. I usually divide the piece of butter into two parts, wrap each of them individually, and let them freeze. This will ensure that it does not start melting that quickly while grating. Those lovely, thin strands of frozen butter create tiny pockets between the layers of dough, making the baked rolls perfectly flaky and crisp.
I usually make sixteen of them, as that is what we prefer, however, they could also be made into eight large crescent rolls, and then preferably filled with a creamy savoury salad; fantastic for picnics or quick lunches. And I have to say, they are fantastic when toasted, especially when really cool, ideally the next day. Ideal for a spot of vegan butter, homemade jam, and a few slivers of toasted almonds.
Ingredients
For the dough
350 grams plain flour
200 millilitres warm water
20 millilitres vegetable oil
25 grams fresh yeast
20 grams brown sugar
10 grams salt
For the lamination
75 grams vegan block butter, frozen
1 teaspoon cornflour
Preparation
The night before, or at least 8 hours before you plan to make these rolls, place the vegan butter in the freezer. It needs to be as solid as possible, so it can be grated.
The next day, sift the flour into a medium bowl, add in the salt, and whisk lightly. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the fresh yeast, sugar, and the warm water, and set it aside for about 10 minutes so the yeast can activate. Once the yeast is fragrant and bubbly, make a little well in the centre of the flour, pour it in, and add in the oil. Mix with a wooden spoon until a somewhat sticky dough comes together. It should be ever so slightly sticky, but manageable. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it for a minute or two, until springy and supple. Return it to the bowl, cover, and let it rest for about 45 minutes.
After the initial rise, the dough should be rested and even softer. Turn it out onto a floured surface again, gently press it out with your hands, and divide it into eight equal pieces. Roll each piece into round disk about 15 centimetres in diameter, cover with a kitchen towel, and let them rest for the time being.
Take the frozen butter, quickly grate it into a medium bowl, sift in the cornflour, and mix it around. Take the first piece of dough, add in a portion of the grated butter, top with another piece, and continue stacking them until all the butter has been used up. By then, the dough will firm up due to butter being very cold, so it will be easier to work with. Take a heavy rolling pin and press the dough stack until it flattens slightly, and then roll it out to about 40 centimetres in diameter, or about 5 millimetres thick. Using a pizza wheel, cut it into 16 triangles, and roll each one towards the narrow end. Let it naturally roll onto the pointed end, without too much stretching, and arrange them onto a large baking sheet lined with baking parchment.
Rest them on the pointy end, their seam, so it stays nicely rolled while baking. Cover them with a clean kitchen towel, and let them rise for about 20-30 minutes, while the oven preheats. Bake them in a preheated oven, at 200°C, for about 10-12 minutes, or until golden and crispy. Serve immediately. Yields 16 large flaky rolls.
