Cornetto Italian Butter Croissant

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Add the lukewarm milk and egg. Mix until a shaggy dough forms, then add the softened butter. Knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for about 1-1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.

While the dough rises, prepare the butter block. Place the cold butter between two sheets of parchment paper and roll it into a 15x15 cm square. Once the dough has risen, gently deflate it and roll it into a 20x40 cm rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Place the butter block on one half of the dough, fold the other half over to enclose the butter, and seal the edges. Roll the dough again into a 20x40 cm rectangle.

Fold the dough into thirds, like a business letter. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This is your first 'turn' or 'fold'.

Take the dough out of the fridge, unwrap, and rotate it 90 degrees. Roll it out again into a 20x40 cm rectangle. Fold into thirds, wrap, and refrigerate for another 30 minutes. Repeat this process one more time for a total of three turns. After the third turn, refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour, or preferably overnight.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a large rectangle, about 3-4mm thick. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into long triangles with a base of about 8-10 cm. Starting from the wide base, gently roll each triangle towards the tip to form the cornetto shape. Slightly curve the ends to create the traditional crescent. Place the shaped cornetti on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Cover the shaped cornetti loosely with plastic wrap and let them proof in a warm place for 1.5-2 hours, or until visibly puffy and almost doubled. Preheat your oven to 190C (375F). In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk with milk for an egg wash. Gently brush the tops of the cornetti with the egg wash. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown and flaky. Let cool slightly on a wire rack before serving.