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Argentinian Medialunas

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4.2 from 5 reviews

A traditional recipe for Argentinian Medialunas or sweet croissants.

  • Total Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes active (5 hours total)
  • Yield: 24

Ingredients

Units

PLEASE USE  THE METRIC MEASUREMENTS

for the dough,

  • 300 ml. of whole milk
  • 14 grams (2 envelopes) of active yeast
  • 525 grams of all-purpose flour
  • 40 grams of sugar
  • 15 grams of honey
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon of lemon zest, optional
  • 10 grams of salt
  • 2 eggs (1 for the dough and 1 for the brush)

for the filling,

  • 40 grams of all-purpose flour
  • 225 grams of European-style butter, at room temperature (Plugra works well)

for the syrup,

  • 1/2 cup of water
  • 1/2 cup of sugar

Instructions

  1. Warm the milk; it should not be more than 110F or 43C. Add the yeast and stir until dissolved. Let stand 10 minutes; it should form abundant bubbles. If you do not see bubbles, repeat the process and make sure that the yeast is alive.
  2. With a fork, mix the butter with the 40 grams of flour and spread over parchment paper, give it a square shape of about 6″ per side. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
    Butter brick
  3. Place the flour, sugar, honey, vanilla extract, lemon, salt, and one egg in a bowl. Using the paddle attachment, mix everything while adding the milk with the yeast. Work to form a sticky dough, about 5 minutes. Change to the kneading hook and knead for 10 minutes at a low speed.
    medialuna dough
  4. Place the dough on a floured board. Stretch the dough into a square of about 12″ per side, place the square of butter in the center, and fold the dough to cover the square of butter. Pinch to seal the edges of the dough. Roll without exposing the butter into a rectangle. Fold in 3 as a letter, the left side first. Place in a floured tin and refrigerate for 1 hour.
    adding the butter brick to the dough
  5. Remove the dough from the floured board and place it with the longest side in front of you. Extend to form a rectangle and fold again in 3, always the left side first. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Repeat this process two more times. After the four times doing the folding, don’t refrigerate. Move to the next step.
  6. Stretch the dough on the floured counter into a rectangle of 45 x 30 cm (18 “x 12″) with a thickness of 5 mm. Cut so that the rectangle has straight edges. Cut three long strips of 4” wide each. Then cut each one in 3, and then diagonally, you will get 18 triangles. Extend each triangle and roll up starting from the base. Guide yourself with the photos.
    cutting the dough layers of dough shaping the dough
  7. Butter generously a quarter baking sheet. Place each roll in the sheet and give it a horn shape, pressing the tips into the baking sheet, place the next crescent almost touching the previous one, fill the tray.
    shaping medialunas medialunas on baking sheet
  8. In a small bowl, place the remaining egg and a little water or milk. Beat until fully incorporated.
  9. Preheat the oven to 350F or 180C.
  10. Leave the medialunas covered with a dishcloth in a warm place for 30-45 minutes; they should grow but not double in size.
  11. Brush with the egg mixture and bake for 30 minutes, rotating if necessary.
    brushing medialunas
  12. Meanwhile, prepare the syrup. Place the water and sugar in a small pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Let boil for 4 minutes to reduce.
    syrup making
  13. Remove the medialunas from the oven; they must be well browned, prick with a toothpick in several parts, and brush with the syrup so that it is absorbed. Keep brushing until you use all the syrup.
    brushing baked medialunas
  14. Serve warm. They keep three days. They can be frozen and reheated without problems.
    Argentinian Medialunas
  • Author: Pilar Hernandez
  • Prep Time: 2 hours (active time)
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: Sweets
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: Argentinian

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 194
  • Sugar: 7.1 g
  • Sodium: 175.1 mg
  • Fat: 8.7 g
  • Saturated Fat: 5.1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 25.2 g
  • Fiber: 0.8 g
  • Protein: 3.7 g