Homemade Gipfeli Recipe: Perfect Swiss and Australian Taste
Gipfeli, those delightful crescent-shaped pastries, are a staple in Swiss and Austrian bakeries. Their buttery, flaky layers and subtle sweetness make them perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a midday treat. This guide will walk you through the entire process of creating perfect Gipfeli at home, from ingredient selection to serving suggestions, ensuring you achieve bakery-quality results.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Stand mixer (optional, but recommended)
- Rolling Pin
- Pastry brush
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Sharp knife or pizza cutter
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 500 g about 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 10 g about 2 teaspoons salt
- 50 g about ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 250 ml about 1 cup lukewarm milk
- 25 g about 1 tablespoon fresh yeast (or 8g dry active yeast)
- 100 g about ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
For the Lamination:
- 250 g about 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and pliable
For the Egg Wash:
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 tablespoon milk optional
Instructions
Activate the Yeast:
- In a small bowl, combine the lukewarm milk and yeast. If using dry yeast, let it sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
Prepare the Dough:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, and sugar.
- Add the activated yeast mixture and softened butter.
- Mix until a shaggy dough forms. If using a stand mixer, use the dough hook.
- Knead the dough for 5-7 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Prepare the Butter for Lamination:
- Place the cold butter between two sheets of parchment paper.
- Using a rolling pin, flatten the butter into a rectangle, about ¼ inch thick.
Laminate the Dough:
- Roll out the risen dough into a large rectangle, about twice the size of the butter rectangle.
- Place the butter rectangle in the center of the dough.
- Fold the sides of the dough over the butter, like folding a letter.
- Roll out the dough into a rectangle again.
- Fold the dough into thirds, like folding a letter. This is your first "turn."
- wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Repeat the rolling, folding, and chilling process two more times, for a total of three turns.
Shape the Gipfeli:
- Roll out the chilled dough into a large circle, about ¼ inch thick.
- Cut the circle into triangles using a sharp knife or pizza cutter.
- Starting from the wide end of each triangle, roll it up towards the point, forming a crescent shape.
- Curve the ends slightly to create the classic Gipfeli shape.
Proof and Bake:
- Place the shaped Gipfeli on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
- Brush them with the egg wash.
- Let them proof for 20-30 minutes in a warm place.
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Bake the Gipfeli for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.
- let cool on a wire rack.