Dissolve the honey in the milk in a mixing bowl, then whisk in the yeast. Set aside for the yeast to activate for about 10 – 20 minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients for the détrempe into the bowl in the order listed. Stir to mix into a scraggly dough.

Knead the dough for about 1 – 2 minutes until a scraggly dough forms, then knead on a work surface until smooth (about 4 minutes).

Place the dough back in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and proof in a warm place until doubled in size (about 1 hour).

Flatten the dough on a lightly floured surface to knock out the air, then shape it into a rectangle on a larger parchment paper. Cover and freeze for at least a few hours, or overnight.

Slice cold butter into thin slices and arrange them on a small parchment paper within a marked rectangle. Fold the parchment over to enclose the butter, then pound and roll it out to spread evenly. Refrigerate until hardened (or overnight).

Remove the parchment paper from the dough and roll it to a 7 x 10 inch rectangle. Place the butter block on one half of the dough, then fold the dough over the butter to completely enclose it.

Roll out the dough to a length of approximately 16 inches while maintaining the 5 inch width. Fold in about 1/8th of the dough towards the middle, then bring the other end to meet the folded end. Make small cuts at the corners to release tension.

Wrap the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Roll out the dough again to a width of 5 inches and a length of 15 inches, then fold ⅓ of the dough towards the center and fold the other edge over it. Cut corners to release tension and refrigerate for another 30 minutes.

Roll out the dough to about a 1 cm thickness. Refrigerate for about 30 – 45 minutes to allow gluten to rest.

Roll out the rested dough to about a 4 – 5 mm thickness. Cut a very thin strip along the long edges to have a width of 9 inches. Make markings for cutting into 6 triangles.

Make a 1 cm cut at the midpoint along the base of each triangle, then roll each triangle from the base up. Place each croissant on a lined half sheet pan with the tip underneath.

Cover with plastic wrap and another half sheet pan on top. Proof the croissants until doubled in size (about 2 – 3 hours).

Preheat the oven to 375°F / 190°C.

Brush the croissants with the prepared egg wash and bake for about 20 – 30 minutes until golden brown. Turn the tray halfway through if needed.

Let the croissants cool on a wire rack for a few minutes before cooling them down further.