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Hungarian Croissant - Kifli

Kifli is a staple food in Hungary. Its shape, the crescent moon, is a reference to the victory over the Ottoman Empire who occupied the country for 150 years. The name kifli can be translated to "croissant", although it's not made of a pastry but a yeast dough. So it's eaten as a bread roll and also used to make sandwiches and puddings. This recipe is a traditional one, so it requires fresh yeast, which you can get in Polish food stores or online if you live in the UK.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Resting Time 4 hours
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 8 people
Cuisine: Mid&East European
Calories: 1234
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 350 g flour
  • 250 ml milk
  • 25 g fresh yeast
  • 25 g butter
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • approx 1 Tbsp water or milk for the glaze
  • approx 1 Tbsp butter for the pan
  • approx 1 Tbsp flour for the pan

Method
 

  1. Mix all the ingredients and knead for about 15-20 minutes. At first the dough will be quite sticky, but after 10 minutes it should be elastic and come away from the edge of the bowl and your fingers. If not, add a bit more flour, little by little.
  2. When the dough is ready, divide it into two, then roll them out on a lightly floured work surface to 5mm thickness.
  3. Cut each sheet into four, then one by one, roll them out as thinly as possible.
  4. Starting from the widest point, roll each one up into a croissant shape, forming a crescent moon.
  5. Grease and flour a baking tray. Place them in the tray, allowing plenty of space between them to double in size. Using a silicon brush, brush the tops with milk or water. Let them prove for about 15-20 minutes, whilst the oven heats up.
  6. Now turn on the oven to 200°C.
  7. Put another tray, filled with water, on the bottom shelf.
  8. Bake the kifli rolls for 15-20 minutes until golden.
  9. Let them cool on a wire rack.