How to Shape a Croissant

Croissants come in straight and curved shapes.

The shaping process that gives croissants their distinctive look adds even more of the flaky, buttery layers that result from filling the dough with butter and repeatedly rolling and folding it. Forming the traditional croissant shapes requires only a few steps; use precision while executing the procedure to get the best croissants possible. You use the same basic procedure for forming straight or crescent-shaped croissants. Does this Spark an idea?

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Flour
Kitchen scissors or paring knife
Baking sheet

Instructions

- 1
  
  Roll out the croissant dough and cut it into triangles as directed by your recipe.
- 2
  
  Cut a slit 1/2 to 3/4 inch long into the center of the short side of one of the triangles.
- 3
  
  Grasp the short side of the triangle in one hand and the tip opposite that side in the other hand. Gently pull the dough until the triangle is about 25 to 50 percent longer than its original length. A longer triangle will result in more layers in the finished croissant.
- 4
  
  Lay the triangle on a floured work surface with the short side facing you. Place the fingers of either hand on either side of the slit and begin to roll up the dough. Point your fingers away from each other, towards the edges of the dough, to stretch the dough as you roll it up. Position the tip of the triangle underneath the rolled croissant.
- 5
  
  Leave the rolled dough as it is for a straight croissant, or curve the tips inward and gently press them together for a crescent-shaped croissant. Place the finished croissant on a baking sheet and repeat the shaping process with the remaining dough triangles. Proof and bake the croissants as directed by your recipe.