Croissant Loaf!

1) Microwave the (25g) butter until completely melted. Whisk in milk with a fork (if the butter solidifies, then microwave the entire mixture for another 10 seconds). Whisk in instant yeast.

2) Add yeast mixture, flour, sugar, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixture with the dough hook attachment. Knead on low speed (2 on a KitchenAid) for 2 minutes or until a shaggy dough ball begins to form. Turn speed up to medium-low (3-4 on a KitchenAid) and knead until a smooth dough forms, about 3 minutes.

3) Dust the bench, your hands, and the dough lightly with flour. Knead the dough into a smooth round ball with your hands. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or until chilled.

Get ready to roll.

4) Let your (220g) butter stand at room temperature for 10-15 minutes (so that it's not rock hard, but not super soft either). Cut up the butter into thin blocks and arrange in a rectangle (apprx 17cm x 11cm / 6.7" x 4.3") . Flatten the rectangle of butter with a rolling pin between two sheets of baking paper (it will spread out a little and that's okay).

5) Retrieve your dough from the fridge and dust the dough and your work surface lightly with flour. Roll the dough out into a rectangle that is the same length (longer side) and three times the width (short side) as your butter rectangle (apprx 35 cm x 20 cm / 13" x 7.8").

6) Place the butter rectangle in the centre of the dough and complete an envelope fold: bring the right-hand third of the dough over the butter, then bring the left-hand third of dough over the butter. Roll out length-ways to a rectangle which is, again, approximately 35 cm x 20 cm (13" x 7.8"). Complete the envelope fold again, then wrap the dough in plastic wrap and freeze for 10 minutes.

7) Rotate the dough so that the 'seam' (the open length of the envelope) is on the right hand side, then roll out lengthways to a rectangle- yes, again- of approximately 35 cm x 20 cm (13" x 7.8"). Complete the envelope fold and freeze for another 10 minutes. Complete this step two more times for a total of four times that the dough has been laminated and chilled.

This is where the magic happens! Our dough transforms from a buttery slab into something resembling a bread loaf.

8) Grease an medium sized loaf tin (mine was 21 cm x 11 cm / 8.2" x 4.3" along the base). Re-dust your work surface and dough with flour. Roll dough out into a rectangle which is the same width and twice the length of your loaf tin, for example my dough was 42 cm x 11 cm (16.5" x 8.6").

9) To braid: cut your dough lengthways into three even strips. Pinch the very top of each strip together to join the dough. Take the right-hand strip and pass it over the middle strip so that it becomes the middle strip. Pass the left-hand strip and pass it over the middle strip so that it is now the middle strip. Repeat this pattern, continuing to bringing each of the outer strips into the middle, until the length of the dough is braided. Pinch to seal the end.

10) Flip the braid over. Fold up the ends of the braids so that they meet in the middle, then press firmly together with fingertips to join. Flip the bundle of braids over so that the join is on the bottom. Place into a loaf tin and allow to proof for 4 hours in a moderately warm place (24C / 75F) until the dough has doubled in size.