Activating yeast - You can use a mixing bowl or stand mixer to make the dough. Take warm milk, water, sugar and yeast in a bowl. Leave it for 5 minutes to allow the yeast to activate.

Making dough - Once the yeast is activated,  add in plain flour and salt. Mix it really well, the flour has to be hydrated with the water and mix. Once the dough has formed, add in butter and start mixing. You have to knead it for atleast 15 to 20 minutes until the butter is incorporated into the dough and dough is soft and smooth. If you are using stand mixer knead for 10 to 15 minutes on low speed.

Window pane test - Window pane test is very important to check whether the gluten development in dough is formed. This helps in getting the texture of the bread. Take a small ball of the dough and stretch it into a square. Keep on stretching until it becomes a thin film in the middle without breaking. The dough must be thin enough to pass light through it. If it is obtained without any tear, then your dough is properly kneaded.

First proof dough - Once the dough is well kneaded. Cover with a cloth and allow it to ferment for 30 minutes. It should be 50 percent of its original volume. Don’t let it ferment too long.

Butter block - When the dough is fermenting. Let’s make butter block. Measure butter, it has to be cold. Place the butter between sheets of parchment paper. Bash it using rolling pin to flatten it. Once it is flattened, cover the parchment to shape it into square shape. Roll it using rolling pin to flatten it into even square shape. Once  butter is shaped, place it in fridge or freezer for 30 minutes.

Chilling dough- once the dough has risen for 30 minutes, place it into fridge and let it sit for 1 hour. This step firms up the dough and also slows down the fermentation process.

Locking in butter - once the dough and butter block has chilled in fridge. Take the dough from fridge and punch it down to remove the gas. Now take the dough onto a work surface. You can dust the work surface with some flour. Now roll the dough into a rectangle. Place the butter block in the rolled rectangle and fold from both sides. Stretch the dough to seal the butter in. No need for dough to overlap. Seal the sides and seams so no butter can escape.

First turn (double turn) - gently lift the dough and turn it so seam side is vertical towards us. Dust flour lightly and start rolling into a long rectangle. Now we are going to do the first turn, which is also called as double turn or book turn. A double turn (a book fold) requires you to roll the dough out a bit longer than for a single, then to fold the edges into the middle, then over on itself again (like a book). Once this is done, gently pat the dough and press it with rolling pin so it flattens even more. Wrap it in plastic wrap and chill in fridge for 1 hour or in freezer for 30 minutes.

Second turn ( simple turn) - once the dough has chilled. Take it out and roll it again into a rectangle. Now do the last turn, which is called simple turn or letter fold. Fold dough in third. Now flatten it again and chill in fridge for few hours till it is cold.

Preshaping and resting - take the chilled dough and roll it gently around 23 cm in height and 40 cm in length. Place this in a baking tray, cover with plastic wrap and place it in fridge and leave overnight.

Trimming and cutting - once the rolled dough has rested overnight. Remove it from fridge and cut off the edges so expose the butter. Now cut the rolled dough in four portions around 10 cm. Now cut each half in a long triangle.

Shaping croissant - take a triangle of the cutout dough. Start rolling from the wider end and shape it into croissant shape. Place each rolled croissant in a parchment lined baking tray.

Proofing croissant - take water in a sauté pan and bring it to a full boil. Place the pan into the oven to create a steamy environment for the croissant to proof. Place the shaped croissant with the baking tray into oven and allow it to proof for 30 to 40 minutes. To know that the croissant has proofed enough, croissant must have doubled in volume. gently shake the baking pan. You will see a gentle wobble in the croissant. This will ensure the croissant has proofed enough and ready to bake now.

Preheating oven - during the last 10 minutes of proofing preheat oven to 200 degree c / 400 degree F for 10 mins.

Egg washing -  mix one egg yolk with some cream. Use a paint brush to brush only the top of the croissant. Be careful not to apply egg wash on the sides which fuse the layers together which prevents the layers from separating.

Baking croissant - place the baking tray into the 200 degree c preheated oven and bake for 20 to 22 minutes.  Make sure to rotate the baking pans in between to get even colour in croissants.  Don’t over bake, which makes the croissants hard.

Resting - remove the baking tray from oven and allow them to cool for 5 minutes in the tray. Remove it and place it on a cooling rack to cool. Enjoy.