To store croissants and prevent this flaky pastry from going off, you should wrap it in plastic and store it in the fridge, freezer, or at an average room temperature.
Croissants, a delectable French pastry, are renowned for their alluring fragrance and yummy taste. The only problem is their upsettingly short life span, making it hard for novice bakers to preserve them.
But don’t worry! In this post, we’ll sketch out the instructions on how to store croissants properly so that they remain irresistible over long periods.
Best Ways To Store Croissants
Pastry chefs have a consensus that there are 3 optimal methods to prevent this tasty treat from going stale. However, the effectiveness of these methods is inversely related to the quality of your preserved croissants. In other words, the longer your pastries are kept, the worse it will taste.
At room temperature
Despite the efficiency of cold storage, storing this French pastry at room temperature is still arguably the best way to keep its flavor and texture intact. Here’s how you can do this.
If you’ve brought your freshly baked pastries home from the bakery, chances are they are put in a paper bag. Roll the paper bag shut to prevent any unwanted penetration of the air.
Or, if you’ve just pulled your pastries straight from your oven, wrap them in plastic food wrap. This seemingly simple step requires a great deal of caution. If you cover them too forcefully, their delicate crust may break. On the other hand, loosely wrapped croissants might be exposed to air and, thus, vulnerable to premature spoilage.
If plastic food wrap is nowhere to be found in your local area, then opt for airtight freezer bags. Then, put your French pastries into them and, if possible, make sure they are not directly exposed to intense sunlight.
Although the procedure above is unmatched for preserving this pastry’s tastiness, it is only suitable for keeping croissants for under 24 hours. Any time more than that, and this flavorful dish will become inedible.
In the fridge
This method is ideal for those who want to store their pastry slightly longer, from 24 to 36 hours.
If your pastry has just been taken out of the oven, let it dry completely. Then, have it covered in plastic, follow the steps in the first method, and refrigerate it. Don’t forget to handle your fragile croissants with the utmost care.
In the freezer
Unlike the first two steps, you need to wrap this type of pastry 2 times before placing it in airtight bags and freezing it.
If possible, put your double-wrapped pastries above other food. This is because heavier ingredients can cause your delicate pastries to become deformed and misshaped.
Also, bear in mind that while the freezer is your go-to option for long-term storage, it might harm this bread’s flavor profile.
While the method mentioned above lends itself well to storing fresh croissants, a slightly different procedure is required to freeze unbaked ones.
How To Freeze Unbaked Croissants
It is perfectly possible to freeze unbaked croissants as long as their dough has been appropriately shaped. At this point, the dough is tender, so it should not be touched. Instead, it would be best if you let it sit on the baking sheet, cover it with plastic wrap, and put the entire sheet into the freezer.
After the dough has frozen, take the baking sheet out and put each croissant into a resealable bag one at a time. Finally, put your pastry back into the freezer.
If you adhere to these instructions on how to store croissants, they can retain their freshness and crispy texture for a good 6 months.
How To Use Frozen Unbaked Croissants
- Thaw the dough for 3 hours before baking it. Or, if you want to speed up this process, soak it in 1 liter of water for 1.5 to 2 hours. You know the dough can be baked when its initial size expands threefold.
- Preheat the oven to roughly 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Beat an egg (including its white and yolk) with a few spoonfuls of milk vigorously.
- Dip the pastry into the egg wash to add shine, ensure the dish’s flakiness, and enhance the exterior’s golden brown color.
- By now, your oven should be up to the desired temperature. Bake the dough for around 12 to 15 minutes. Finally, enjoy!
How To Freeze Baked Croissants
We’ve already walked you through the steps of freezing baked croissants in the first section. Check them out, and remember to treat this fragile dish with meticulous care so as not to ruin its beautiful texture.
How Do You Keep Croissants Crispy?
If you strictly comply with our step-by-step guide, your frozen pastry should be as crispy as fresh ones. But, if you didn’t manage to pull off those steps, there’s a tried-and-true method to restore its original crunchiness.
Seasoned bakers agree that an oven is an ideal way to do so. Ovens work like a charm because they heat all layers of your croissants equally, maintain their soft interior, and do not melt the butter.
All you need is to preheat the oven to 300°F, wrap your food in plastic, and leave it in the oven for 4 to 5 minutes.
The most common pitfall that newbies often fall into is setting overly high temperatures. This is a big no-no because excessive heat can suck the moisture out of your delicate dough, causing the dish to dry out.
Can Butter Croissants Be Frozen?
Absolutely! Buttery versions of this French delicacy can be frozen in the same way as their non-buttery counterparts. Indeed, when buttery pastries are packaged separately in freezer bags, those bags act as a shield against the cool air in your freezer.
This allows the butter to withstand extreme temperatures, consequently retaining its mild taste as well as gooey texture.