Perfect Homemade Traditional French Croissants

Put the flour, salt, sugar and yeast into a mixing bowl.

Gradually add the water and stir to form a dough.

Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 5 minutes until smooth.

Put the dough into a clean bowl, cover and chill for an hour.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a rectangle.

Dot the butter over the upper two-thirds of the dough, then neatly fold the unbuttered third over the buttered centre third and the top third down over that.

Give the dough a quarter turn and roll out again into a rectangle. Fold as before, cover and chill for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

Roll out and fold the dough twice more, then chill again for an hour.

Cut the dough in half, roll a piece out into a rectangle, trim the edges and cut it into triangles. Roll each piece up into a croissant shape.

Arrange the croissants spaced well apart on baking trays, brush the tops with a little more water and sugar and leave to rise until doubled in size.

Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas. Bake the croissants for about 20 minutes until well browned and risen.