Sugared Crescents

This is the last weekend of spring break.  It has been a much needed break.  I feel it was far to short.  I'm not sure if I am zen enough to return to work on Monday.  Work has been extra challenging this past month.  I've been trying to sort out my feelings about it over this past week away and have come to an impasse with myself.  I am not willing to give up, so I need to move forward.  Thus I'm declaring this weekend the weekend of Crescents. It's something I have not made before.  And something very French.  I feel that in order for me to move forward I need to get back to the things that I use to love.  I need to remember that I use to love using my weekends to make lovely things in the kitchen. 

First up: Sugared Crescents

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup warm milk
• 1 Tablespoon dry active yeast 
• 1 & 1/2 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup sugar 
• 2 eggs
• 1 stick melted butter
• 5 cups of flour (add more if needed)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 
• Egg wash
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon water 
• 9 tablespoon sugar

Directions:

1. Combine 1/2 cup milk and yeast.

2. Stir.
3. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes to rise.

4. Pour 1 & 1/2 cups of milk into stand mixer.
5. Add salt, sugar, eggs, butter, yeast mixture, vanilla, and flour.

6. Turn mixer on low and let ingredients come together.

7. Allow mixer to knead dough for another 20 minutes.
8. Cover with a cloth in a warm place and let rise to 1 to 2 hours.
9. Punch the dough down.
10. Pour a couple of tablespoons of oil on work surface and cover hands with oil as well.
11. Turn the dough out onto the work surface and bring ends towards the center making a neat ball.
12. Make ball into a log.
13. Cut log into three equal pieces.
14. Shape each into a ball and set aside to rest.
15. Whisk together  2 eggs and 1 tablespoon of water, set aside.
16. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
17. Set baking rack in the middle.
18. Roll a dough ball as thin as you can into a circle.  
19. Lightly sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of sugar.
20. Cut diagonally 5 or 6 times (like a pizza).
21. Roll the crescents starting with the thickest end, rolling towards the thinnest end.
22. Place shaped crescents onto a baking sheet, end down, about 2 to 3 inches apart.
23. Allow them to rise for 15 to 30 minutes.
24. Brush with egg wash.

25. Bake until golden, 15 to 20 minutes.