Croissants, Part 1

So apparently making croissants by scratch takes a day or two. 

I wanted to start my project already so I said fuck it. I'm ready. 

FYI: I don't have any electronic help with these recipes...that means no fancy schmancy KitchenAid Stand Mixer or a Hand-held mixer...or a mixer with a dough hook...

I started mixing the Preferment which called for nonfat milk, active dry yeast and all-purpose flour. It was actually pretty fun getting down and dirty with my hands. Felt like mud! Then while I waited for that to rise, Debbie (my best friend) and I applied to work at the Courtyard by Marriott...Honestly did not expect them to interview right on the spot and ended up stuttering throughout the whole debacle. Debbie, on the other hand, did great! Good luck, girl!

Back to the house. Took out the risen preferment dough and had to incorporate more yeast, whole milk, 6 cups of flour, sugar, salt and melted butter with my own tiny hands. It was a massacre. I ripped apart the dough and shoved all the new ingredients into it, and mushed it back to a ball. Rinse and repeat. 

Left the dough alone for another 1.5 hours. Came back to it and shaped it into a rectangle. Chilled in fridge for another 5 hours. 

I prepared the butter a little differently than what the book instructed (due to its apparent dependency on technology to mix things). I took out all the butter and sandwiched it between two plastic sheets and beat the shit out of it with a rolling pin until it was "malleable".  I let it chill for a little bit...

Finally (well, sort of finally), I rolled the butter into the dough and created the tri-fold business letter, put a balloon on it and sent it to the fridge for another 1.5 hours. 

And that is where I stand now. I'm tired. I don't like my mom's rolling pin...the bearings are rusty or something because it squeaks everytime I roll it. 

Get this: I had a phone interview today and the guy from Fresh N' Easy asked me "Are you able to lift 50 lbs.?" in which I replied "Yes!". Then he asks, "What's your flexibility like?" in which I reply, "Great! I used to be a cheerleader in high school so that's not a problem, I guess." Ugh. 

TO BE CONTINUED...DUN DUN DUN