Flaky and buttery croissants made from scratch using brioche dough. Stuff them with anything you like – I chose homemade lemon curd.

We leave for the summer in six days. After surveying the pantry for what will not survive three months, we determined the lemon juice, coconut and salsa are on the “must finish” list. Obviously, no recipe is going to take care of all three ingredients in one fell swoop — not one I’d want to eat, anyway! Salsa chicken and rice will be on this week’s menu. Coconut butter cookies for the staff potluck. And lemon curd stuffed croissants for breakfast.

From a culinary and baking standpoint, this summer should be interesting. We’ve cooked for weeks at a time in our camper. We’ve also cooked for weeks on a Coleman stove while tent and boat camping. This summer, it will be all galley cooking on our sailboat, Bandon. We’re both eager to outfit her galley with the least amount of quality tools that will help us with the most culinary tasks. We are also excited to fish the south central waters of Alaska and cook up the freshest and tastiest seafood for ourselves and our guests. Stay tuned to see what will be created from the galley of Bandon!

Lemon Brioche Croissants

makes 8 croissants

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/8 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 – 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tbsp instant yeast
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup soft unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup lemon curd or other filling (see below for separate lemon curd recipe)

Directions

1. Pour milk in saucepan and heat until lukewarm.
2. Pour milk in mixing bowl. Add sugar. Mix until incorporated.
3. Beat eggs. Pour eggs into milk mixture. Mix until incorporated.
4. Add 1/2 cup of flour. Mix until incorporated.
5. Add yeast and a second 1/2 cup of flour. Mix until incorporated. I switched to a dough hook on the mixer at this point.
6. Add salt and last 1/2 cup of flour. Mix again until incorporated. Dough should be sticky.
7. Mix butter into dough in increments of about 2 tbsp at a time.
8. Once the butter is completed incorporated, cover dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
9. After at least 4 hours, place the dough on a lightly floured surface.
10. Roll the dough out to form a circle with about a 15-inch diameter.
11. Cut dough into 8 pieces (pizza style) using a pizza wheel, forming 8 triangles.
12. Place a heaping tbsp of lemon curd near the base of the triangle.
13. Roll dough from base of triangle toward point.
14. Curve into a crescent shape and pinch ends closed.
15. Place croissants on parchment-lined baking sheet and cover sheet with plastic wrap. Let rest for 45 minutes.
16. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F while dough is resting. Bake croissants for 15 – 20 minutes until lightly browned.
17. Cool on a wire rack.

Lemon Curd

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) softened unsalted butter
• zest of one orange (about a tablespoon)

Directions

1. Mix together lemon juice, sugar, eggs, and zest. Mix in butter 1/4 cup at a time.
2. Place bowl on simmering pot of water (double boiler). Stirring constantly, cook until mixture reaches 160 degrees F (about 10 minutes).
3. Store covered in refrigerator. I used a mason jar.

The above recipe used about half of the lemon curd. Enjoy the extra on scones, with yogurt, or to replace jam in any other recipe.

Croissant recipe adapted from http://www.cookingbread.com/classes/class_lemon_brioche_croissants.html

Lemon curd recipe adapted from http://www.recipegirl.com/2008/11/10/meyer-lemon-curd/