We are thrilled to introduce Lewis Road Creamery and rich, dreamy butter! New Zealand’s most-loved dairy brand is now available in the US, and we’re celebrating their American launch with these crave-worthy crescent rolls. Dressed up with a pinch of sea salt, the crescent roll’s timeless shape and versatility make it a family favorite as well as a busy baker’s go-to recipe. Lewis Road Creamery butter gives the rolls a rich flavor, classic flaky texture, and golden color. On top of all that, this dough can be made ahead for a fuss-free addition to the dinner table.
Eight years ago, the founder of Lewis Road Creamery, Peter Cullinane, had a dream. He wanted to create the world’s best butter. He started in his kitchen with fresh cream and a Mason jar, a memory of what his father had told him from his days on the farm, and a whole lot of passion. He began selling to a handful of top restaurants, and now, Lewis Road Creamery is the leading brand of premier butters in New Zealand and they’re launching in the US!
They use their own grass-fed, free range cream from their farms in Canterbury, New Zealand, and it’s then traditionally churned—using the Fritz churn method—in the little town of Hokitika, where Peter’s great-great-grandfather arrived in 1862. The churns are smaller, modern versions of churns used in New Zealand in the pioneering days, which helps Lewis Road Creamery achieve a lightly cultured, scrumptious-tasting butter with a silky, velvety consistency like no other. With the Bay of Plenty’s rolling green hills, all of their cows are free-range and grass-fed. New Zealand has a very temperate climate, which means their cows can graze outside on fresh green grass 365 days of the year.
Something you’ll notice about Lewis Road Creamery’s butter is its deeper, golden color. Because their cows are completely grass-fed all year round, the color is 100% natural! Grass contains a natural pigment, beta-carotene, which is an antioxidant and yellow in color. Beta-carotene is fat soluble, so when the cows eat grass, the beta-carotene component of the grass is stored in the cows’ fat. Lewis Road Creamery butter is non-GMO, hormone-free, and high in this fat, making it rich in flavor and brilliantly golden.
You can purchase Lewis Road Creamery butter online or pick up at your local fine food grocer such as Whole Foods, Erewhon Market, Central Market, and Uptown Grocery Co.
Because it’s grass-fed and high in fat, what could be better to make with this rich butter than classic crescent rolls? Not only does this recipe get a boost of lusciousness from Lewis Road Creamery butter in the dough, but it’s also brushed over the tops of these rolls after they come out of the oven, giving them an additional coat of creamy, buttery goodness.
- 4¼ cups (510 grams) bread flour
- 1 tablespoon plus 1½ teaspoons (14 grams) instant yeast
- 1 tablespoon (9 grams) kosher salt
- 1 cup (240 grams) whole milk
- ½ cup (113 grams) Lewis Road Creamery Unsalted Butter
- 2 tablespoons (24 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons (42 grams) honey
- 1 large egg (50 grams), room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk (19 grams), room temperature
- ¼ cup (57 grams) unsalted butter, melted
- Garnish: flaked sea salt
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine flour, yeast, and salt.
- In a small saucepan, heat milk, butter, sugar, and honey over medium-low heat until an instant-read thermometer registers 120°F (49°C) to 130°F (54°C). Add warm milk mixture to flour mixture, and beat at low speed just until combined, about 2 minutes. Add egg and egg yolk, and beat until a smooth, elastic dough forms, about 6 minutes.
- Spray a large bowl with cooking spray. Place dough in bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place (75°F/24°C) until doubled in size, 35 to 45 minutes.
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Punch down dough. On a lightly floured surface, divide dough in half (about 490 grams each). Working with 1 half at a time (keep remaining dough covered to prevent it from drying out), roll dough into a 14-inch circle. Using a pastry wheel, cut dough into 12 equal triangles. Starting from widest end of triangle, roll up dough, pinching pointed end to seal. Place rolls, pointed side down, on prepared pans. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place (75°F/24°C) until doubled in size, 35 to 45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Brush rolls with melted butter.
- Bake until golden brown, 10 to 11 minutes. Brush with melted butter again, and sprinkle with sea salt, if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.
