To make the preferment, combine the milk, yeast, and flour in a bowl and mix it together until a smooth batter forms. Cover with cheesecloth and let it rise until doubled for 2-3 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

To make the dough, transfer the preferment and the yeast in a large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on low speed until the yeast is incorporated. When the mixture has come together into an even, well-mixed mass, increase the speed to medium, and mix for a couple of minutes. Slowly add half of the milk and continue to mix until the milk is fully incorporated.

Reduce the speed to low, add the flour, sugar, salt, melted butter, and the rest of the milk, and mix until the mass comes together in a loose dough, about 3 minutes. Turn off the mixer and let the dough rest for 15-20 minutes.

Turn the mixer back to low speed and mix until the dough is smooth and elastic, 4 minutes maximum. If the dough is firm, ad d a little milk, 1 tbsp at a time. Cover the bowl with cheesecloth and let the dough rise in a cool place until it increase by half, about 1 1/2 hours.

Lightly flour a work surface and transfer the dough to the surface. Press it into a rectangle 2 inches thick. Wrap with plastic wrap. Place the dough into the refrigerator to chill for 4-6 hours.

About an hour before you're ready to start lamination, place your butter in a stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on medium speed until malleable but not warm or soft, 3 minutes. Remove the butter from the bowl, wrap in plastic wrap and place ti in the refrigerator to chill but not resolidify.

To start laminating the dough, lightly flour your work surface and place the dough on your work surface. Roll the dough into a 28"x12" rectangle. With the long side face you, and starting from the left side, spread and spot the butter over two-thirds of the length of the rectangle. Fold the uncovered third over the butter and then fold the left-hand third over the center, as if folding a business letter. With your fingers, push down along the seams on the top and the bottom to sea the butter in the plaque.

Give the plaque a quarter turn so that the seams are to your right and left. Roll the dough into a 28"x12" rectangle. Fold again in the same manner. Wrap and refrigerate for 1 1/2 - 2 hours to relax the gluten.

Lightly flour your work surface and roll the dough out again to 28x12 rectangle. Fold again in the same manner. Your plaque should now be 9"x12" and 1 1/2 - 2 inches thick. Wrap in plastic wrap and place on a sheet pan. Place it into the freezer and chill for at least 1 hour.

To roll out the dough, lightly flour your surface and roll the dough out to a 32"x12", 3/8" thick rectangle. Using a pizza wheel cutter, cut the dough into long triangles that measure 10-12 inches on each side and 4 inches along the base.

Line half a sheet pan with parchment. To shape each croissant, position a triangle with the face facing your. Carefully roll the base toward the point. To finish, grab the point with one hand, stretching it slightly, and continue to roll, tucking the point underneath the rolled dough so that the croissant will stand tall when your place it on the sheet pan. If you shaped it right, the croissant will have 6-7 ridges.

Place the shaped croissants well spaced on a parchment lined sheet pan. Let the croissants rise for 2-3 hours at 75F.

During the final rise, the croissants should at least double in size and look noticeably puffy. If when you press a croissant with a fingertip, the indentations fills in slowly, the croissants are almost ready to bake, Preheat the oven to 425F.

minutes before you are ready to bake the croissants, make the egg wash. Whisk together the yolks, cream, and salt until you have a pale yellow mixture. Using a pastry brush, lightly and carefully brush the yolk mixture on the pastries. Let the wash dry slightly about 10 minutes before baking.

Place the croissants in the oven, immediately turning the oven down to 400F. Bake the croissants for 10 minutes. Rotate the pan 180 degrees and bake again for another 10 minutes until it's golden brown. Remove the croissants from the oven and place on an oven rack to cool.