I remember first traveling to Buenos Aires, Argentina's capital. For four days, our breakfast was Argentinian Medialunas and a coffee. They are also the perfect mid-afternoon snack. They are widely popular and always available in Argentina. They have also been adopted in Chile, my home country.
Are croissants and Medialunas the same?
No, Medialunas are between a brioche and a croissant. They are made with a sweet, enriched (eggs and butter) dough with many layers and a subtle hint of lemon and vanilla. The sweetness is restrained.
Medialunas are a little challenging to make but fabulous to eat. They can be frozen and popped in the microwave or toaster for a real treat. Don't forget to try them if you ever go to Argentina.
I recommend using European-style butter in this recipe (higher in fat, 82% or more) for better taste.
Argentinian Medialunas
- Prep Time: 5 hours (2 h. active time)
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 5 hours, 30 minutes
- Yield: 18
- Category: Sweets
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Argentinian
Description
A traditional recipe for Argentinian Medialunas or sweet croissants.
Ingredients
- 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)
- 40 grams of all-purpose flour
- 225 grams of European-style butter, at room temperature (Plugra works well)
- ½ cup of water
- ½ cup of sugar
Instructions
- Warm the milk; it should not be more than 110F or 43C. Add the yeast and stir until dissolved. Let stand for 10 minutes; it should form abundant bubbles. If you do not see bubbles, repeat the process and make sure that the yeast is alive.
- 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.
- 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 for about 5 minutes. Change to the kneading hook and knead for 10 minutes at a low speed.
- 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.
- 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 on 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Place the remaining egg and a little water or milk in a small bowl. Beat until fully incorporated.
- Preheat the oven to 350F or 180C.
- Leave the medialunas covered with a dishcloth in a warm place for 30-45 minutes; they should grow but not double in size.
- Brush with the egg mixture and bake for 30 minutes, rotating if necessary.
- 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.
- 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.
- Serve warm. They keep for three days. They can be frozen and reheated without problems.
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
What is Facturas in Argentina?
Facturas is a unique Argentinian way to refer to Pan Dulces. Medialunas are a kind of factura.
Places to get Medialunas:
In Houston: Argentina Cafe
In Seattle: Boca Bakery, SeaTango Bakery
Leave a comment if you know of other Argentinian bakeries.
Other Argentinian recipes here.
This recipe was sponsored by Plugrá® butter.
Mallory says
I’m half Argentinean, and I’ve always wanted to learn more about that side of my family. I love cooking and baking, so I thought it would be really interesting to learn how to make different Argentine dishes. I did a lot of research and discovered lots of different recipes that I’m excited to try! I’m hoping to make this recipe, however there is an egg allergy in the family, so I was wondering if the egg could be left out of the recipe, or if you had any suggestions for replacements? Thanks!
Pilar Hernandez says
I'm sorry, but I wouldn't recommend modifying this recipe, which is quite elaborate and lengthy.
momo says
Hola Mallory la receta de medialunas marplatenses no lleva huevo fijate
Ana says
Hi, I just made this recipe and I think you miswrote the milk quantity. It is too sticky to knead. I threw out the first batch with 300 ml and the second time I used 205 ml and turned out much better and same consistency as the pictures.
Pilar Hernandez says
Thank you for commenting. I use King Arthur Flour brand, the amount of liquid the dough takes will vary depending on the flour and the humidity of your kitchen.
Aria Conte says
So, since I eat these for breakfast, I've made the dough at night and left it in the fridge to bake in the morning. This has worked fine. I was wondering how long I could leave the dough in the fridge before it no longer rises.
Pilar Hernandez says
No more than 12 hours, the flavors change a little with the long raise, to more sourdough.
Inez says
These turned out delicious! I have to say my dad gave me a hard time about using this website when he's an Argentine himself and easily could have helped me! But it was all fun and laughs and like I said, they turned out great. However, the measurements for the ingredients was confusing. It would be a lot easier if they were entirely metric or entirely U.S. system instead of a mix of both. I almost messed up the recipe because of my lack of math skills when converting! But otherwise, it was a good recipe and a fun experience.
Pilar Hernandez says
I'm so happy you got delicious Medialunas.
Aria Conte says
I've made this recipe before and it is so good. It made some of the best medialunas I've had in the States. I was just wondering if this recipe can be doubled, or if I should make two separate batches.
Pilar Hernandez says
Only double if you have a big counter for the folding. I'm so glad you got a good result.