Croissants with cottage cheese

Name: Croissants with cottage cheese - Alis C.
Ingredients: Dough: 500 kg flour 200 g butter (with 80% fat; nothing special) 3 tablespoons powdered sugar 1 packet of dry yeast 2 egg yolks approximately 150 ml milk salt powder 1 egg for brushing Filling: 400 g drier cottage cheese 250 g raisins 2 packets of

Dessert - Croissants with cottage cheese by Alis C. - Recipia

The cheese croissants start with the dough used for Bratislava rolls. It is a delicate and fine dough that needs to be kneaded enough to become homogeneous, then chilled before shaping. The filling is simple: well-drained cottage cheese, raisins, sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest. An important detail is the very short proofing at room temperature, just before baking: the greased tray is left in the warmth for only 5-6 minutes, no longer. QUICK INFO Total time: approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes, not including working time which may vary depending on the number of croissants Preparation time: approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes, including cooling and resting of the dough Baking time: approximately 40 minutes for each tray Servings: the number of pieces depends on the chosen size Difficulty: medium Recipe type: croissants or cheese and raisin croissants INGREDIENTS For the dough 500 g flour 200 g butter with approximately 80% fat 3 tablespoons powdered sugar 1 packet of dry yeast 2 egg yolks Approximately 150 ml cold milk, depending on the flour and butter A pinch of salt For the filling 400 g cottage cheese, well-drained and as dry as possible 250 g raisins 2 packets of vanilla 6 tablespoons powdered sugar or sugar to taste 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest 1 egg yolk For brushing 1 egg METHOD OF PREPARATION 1. Prepare the dough In a large bowl, mix the flour with the dry yeast and powdered sugar. Add the butter, which should not be very soft, and knead it together with the flour until you achieve a texture similar to semolina. The butter should be well distributed, without large pieces remaining in the mixture. Beat the two egg yolks with 100 ml of cold milk and the pinch of salt. Pour the mixture over the flour and start kneading. If the dough is too tough or doesn’t come together, gradually add the remaining cold milk. For this recipe, about 150 ml of milk was used in total, but the exact amount depends on the flour and butter. The final dough should be soft, fine, and easy to work with, but not too tough. After all the ingredients are incorporated, knead for another 15-20 minutes. This step is important for the texture of the dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place the dough in the refrigerator for about 40 minutes. 2. Portion and shape the balls Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and divide it into equal parts. Roll each part on the work surface to form uniform cylinders. Using a knife, cut the cylinders into equal pieces. From each piece, form a ball. To ensure a smooth surface, shape each ball for about 1-2 minutes. Place the balls on a tray or work surface, cover them with plastic wrap, and leave them in a cool place for at least 30 minutes. 3. Prepare the filling The cottage cheese must be well-drained. If it is moist, the filling will be harder to seal and may leak during baking. Put the cottage cheese in a bowl and mix it with the raisins, egg yolk, powdered sugar, vanilla, and grated lemon zest. For this quantity, 6 tablespoons of powdered sugar were used, but you can adjust to taste. Once you have a homogeneous mixture, keep it chilled until you start filling the croissants. 4. Roll out the dough and fill the croissants Work with one ball of dough at a time. Keep the remaining balls covered with plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out. Roll out each ball with a rolling pin, then place the cheese filling on top. Shape the croissants according to your preference, in terms of shape and size. It is not necessary for all to be very large, but it is helpful to keep the pieces as uniform in size as possible for even baking. After shaping, gently twist each croissant 3-4 times using your palms on the work surface. This helps the dough wrap around the filling and reduces the risk of cheese leaking through cracks during baking. Place the croissants on the tray, leaving a little space between them. Do not overcrowd. 5. Chill the croissants and brush them Separate the egg for brushing. First, brush the formed croissants with the egg yolk. Leave the tray in a cool place, not in the refrigerator, for about 30 minutes, until the yolk layer dries. While the first tray is resting, you can prepare the other croissants. After the yolk has dried on the surface, brush the croissants with the egg white. Then place the tray in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. 6. Bake the croissants Preheat the oven in the meantime. Before placing the tray in the oven, take it out of the refrigerator and let it sit in the kitchen for about 5-6 minutes. No longer is needed at room temperature. Bake the croissants at low to medium heat for about 40 minutes, until they are beautifully golden brown. The time may vary slightly depending on the oven and the size of the croissants, so keep an eye on the color of the dough towards the end. WHY I MAKE THIS RECIPE OFTEN I love the combination of the flaky dough and the cheese and raisin filling, and the recipe can be easily adapted in shape and size. The dough can be prepared and portioned without haste, and the balls can stay cool until they are rolled out and filled. It’s also useful that the same dough base can be used for croissants of different sizes. TIPS The cheese must be well-drained. Too moist cheese makes the filling soft and increases the risk of it leaking through the dough. Do not add all the milk at once. Start with 100 ml and gradually add more, as flour can absorb differently from one type to another. The butter should be cold or just slightly softened, not very soft. At first, it is worked with the flour until the mixture resembles semolina. Do not skip the 15-20 minutes of kneading after incorporating the ingredients. The dough needs to become fine before being placed in the refrigerator. Keep the balls covered while you work. Uncovered dough forms a crust and is harder to roll out. After filling, twist the croissants 3-4 times with your palms. This step helps to better seal the dough. The tray should not sit too long in the kitchen before baking. The 5-6 minutes after taking it out of the refrigerator are sufficient. SUBSTITUTIONS You can use another type of sugar in the filling if you do not have powdered sugar, but powdered sugar incorporates more easily into the cheese. If you do not have vanilla packets, the recipe source does not indicate an exact alternative, so it’s better to keep just the lemon flavor than to add extra ingredients that may change the filling. For this recipe, drier cottage cheese is recommended. Very creamy cheese or cheese with a lot of whey is not a suitable substitute unless well-drained. VARIATIONS You can make the croissants smaller or larger, depending on how you cut the dough cylinders. It is important that the pieces in the same tray are of similar sizes. The shape can be changed according to preference. The recipe does not impose a unique shape, but each piece must be well sealed and twisted around the filling. The amount of sugar in the cheese can be adjusted. The basic recipe used 6 tablespoons of powdered sugar, but the final taste also depends on how sweet the cheese and raisins are. SERVING IDEAS The croissants can be served plain once cooled. If desired, you can dust them with sugar before serving, but sugar does not appear in the original ingredient list and is not necessary for the recipe. They pair well with coffee, tea, or milk and can be arranged on a platter after they have completely cooled. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 1. Can I use less milk? Yes. The milk is added gradually, starting with 100 ml. Depending on the flour and butter, you may not need all of the approximately 150 ml. The dough should be fine and not too tough. 2. Why is it important for the cheese to be well-drained? Moist cheese makes the filling too soft. During baking, it may leak out of the dough, especially if the edges are not well sealed. 3. Can I leave the tray out for more than 5-6 minutes in the kitchen before baking? In this recipe, the tray taken out of the refrigerator is left for only about 5-6 minutes in the warmth. It is not recommended to extend this stage, as this is the detail that differentiates the method from that used for Bratislava rolls. 4. Why are the croissants brushed first with yolk and then with egg white? The yolk is applied first and allowed to dry for about 30 minutes. Then the egg white is used, and the tray is cooled again in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This sequence is followed in the recipe before baking. 5. How long do they bake? The croissants bake for approximately 40 minutes at low to medium heat until golden brown. The exact duration may differ depending on the oven and the size of the pieces. NUTRITIONAL VALUES The values are estimates for the entire composition and depend on the type of cheese, the exact amount of milk, and the number of croissants produced. Per 100 g of finished product: Calories: approximately 360-380 kcal Protein: approximately 8-10 g Carbohydrates: approximately 50-55 g Fats: approximately 14-17 g Cottage cheese provides a significant portion of the protein, while butter and egg yolks contribute to the fat content. Raisins, flour, and sugar increase the total carbohydrate value. For piece values, the final number of croissants and their weight would need to be known. STORAGE AND REHEATING After cooling, store the croissants in a closed container at room temperature if they are to be consumed shortly. For longer storage, they can be kept in the refrigerator, but the dough may lose its flakiness. They can be gently reheated before serving, but it’s best not to overheat them, as the cheese filling can dry out, and the dough may change texture. They are best enjoyed after reaching room temperature or after a brief reheating.

Ingredients

Dough: 500 kg flour 200 g butter (with 80% fat
nothing special) 3 tablespoons powdered sugar 1 packet of dry yeast 2 egg yolks approximately 150 ml milk salt powder 1 egg for brushing Filling: 400 g drier cottage cheese 250 g raisins 2 packets of

Croissants with cottage cheese

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