Croissants with jam and walnuts
These little crescent rolls with jam and walnuts are the kind of dessert I usually make when I want something quick and don't want to deal with complicated doughs. I love that they don't need to rise, and the filling can easily be changed, but I prefer strawberry jam with walnuts. I usually prepare them in the morning when it's still quiet, filling the kitchen with their aroma as they bake.
Quick Info
Total time: about 40 minutes
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Baking time: 20 minutes
Servings: about 24 crescent rolls, depending on how big you make them
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: quick dessert, suitable for family or holiday platter
Ingredients
200 ml water
180 g butter (room temperature)
50 g powdered sugar
1 packet of dry yeast (7 g)
a pinch of salt
the grated zest of one orange
1 tablespoon rum essence
300 g flour (you may need a little more at the end)
a small jar of strawberry jam (approx. 200 g)
50 g chopped walnuts
powdered sugar for dusting at the end
Preparation method
1. Put the soft butter in a large bowl. Add the powdered sugar and mix well with a spoon or spatula until it is incorporated and the sugar has somewhat melted. You don't need to insist too much – the important thing is that no visible granules remain.
2. Add the packet of dry yeast, salt, grated orange zest, and rum essence to the mixture. Pour in the 200 ml of room temperature water. Mix briefly to combine everything.
3. Start adding the flour gradually, mixing constantly. Once it no longer sticks to the spoon, switch to kneading by hand. You will quickly obtain a soft and elastic dough that doesn't stick to your hands. If it's too sticky, sprinkle a tablespoon of flour, but don't overdo it; it should remain a pleasant dough, not hard.
4. Place the dough on a clean surface and roll it out into a round sheet about 3-4 mm thick. It doesn't need to be perfectly round – you'll cut triangles anyway.
5. With a knife or a dough cutter, divide the circle into as equal triangles as you can. I usually get about 12-16 triangles from one batch, but if you want smaller crescent rolls, you can cut more.
6. In a bowl, mix the jam with the chopped walnuts. Take a full teaspoon of this mixture and place it at the base of each triangle. Don't put too much filling so it doesn't overflow while baking.
7. Roll each triangle from the base to the tip, so you get the classic crescent shape.
8. Prepare a baking tray with parchment paper and grease it with a little margarine if you want to ensure they don't stick at all. Place the crescent rolls, leaving a little space between them.
9. Place the tray in the preheated oven at 180°C (or medium if you don't have a thermometer). Bake for about 20 minutes, until the crescent rolls are lightly colored at the edges. They shouldn't be too browned.
10. Remove them to a platter and, while they are still warm, generously dust them with powdered sugar.
Why I make this recipe often
It's a recipe I use often because the ingredients are at hand, it doesn't require rising time, and they always come out tender. They keep quite well for a few days and can be packed up.
Tips and variations
Tips
The dough should not be too hard. If it sticks to your hands, you can sprinkle a little flour at the end.
Don't fill the triangles with too much jam, so it doesn't leak onto the tray.
If you don't want to grease the tray with margarine, just the parchment paper is enough if you haven't put too much jam.
For rolling, don't press too hard; they just need to be gently tightened so they don't come apart.
Substitutions
You can use any jam you have on hand – sour cherries, plums, apricots, or even fruit preserves.
The walnuts can be omitted or replaced with chopped hazelnuts if you have allergies or want a different taste.
Butter can be replaced with margarine if you want it to be vegan, but the texture will be slightly different.
Variations
You can add cinnamon to the jam or even a little vanilla to the dough.
If you don't have an orange, leave out the zest or use lemon.
Serving ideas
The crescent rolls can be served for breakfast, alongside coffee, or as a packed dessert. For festive platters, you can place them in small cupcake liners after they have cooled.
Frequently asked questions
Can fresh yeast be used instead of dry?
Yes, you can also use fresh yeast. One packet of dry yeast (7 g) can be replaced with 25 g of fresh yeast.
Can the dough be left in the fridge?
Yes, you can prepare the dough a few hours in advance and leave it in the fridge, wrapped in plastic, if you want to use it later.
Does the jam need to be very thick?
Ideally, it should be a thicker jam so it doesn't leak while baking. If you have a more liquid jam, you can add more walnuts or drain it a bit beforehand.
How many crescent rolls does this recipe yield?
Depending on how big you cut them, it yields between 20 and 30 pieces. Usually, a medium batch yields about 24 crescent rolls.
Nutritional values
The values are approximate, for one crescent roll (calculated for 24 pieces):
Energy: ~95 kcal
Fat: 4.5 g
Carbohydrates: 12 g
Protein: 1.2 g
Values depend on the jam chosen and how much filling you use for each. They are quite filling for how small they are.
Storage and reheating
The crescent rolls keep well for 2-3 days in a closed box at room temperature. If you want to keep them longer, you can wrap them in foil or put them in a container. They don't freeze well because the dough dries out. They don't require reheating, but if you want, you can put them in a warm oven for 1-2 minutes, without drying them out too much.
Ingredients: 200 ml water, 180 g butter, 50 g powdered sugar, one packet of dry yeast, a pinch of salt, grated peel of one orange, one tablespoon of rum essence, 300 g flour, a small jar of strawberry jam, 50 g crushed walnuts, powdered sugar for decoration.
