11.20.2015

croissants, some notes. use a long proof

I'm happy to call croissants a staple in our house.  I'm even at the point where I can vary the dough and fillings to get fun creations that we all enjoy.  I got to this point with a lot of practice and two significant events.  About 5 years ago, I took a croissant class with Tad at La Chatelaine Bakery (@LaChatColumbus).  Tad is a masterful baker, one of my favorites ever.  His croissant method produced exquisite pastry, but the method was taught to us with some rigidity.  *This* is how it's done.  I stumbled a little after this with little success.  The next significant stop on this journey was years later at another class at @The_Commissary with Aaron Clouse (IG @clouse11).  In this class the dough was more enriched than in my previous class (some milk and butter) and there were physical variations in the folding.  Some used a sheeter, some rolled by hand.  The combination of classes led me to conclude there is a much greater range of methodology and recipe that will yield an amazing pastry.  

My recommendation is to practice using any prep out there: Bouchon has a good method and many bloggers have stolen it and republished it - but it's easily available.  Another well detailed prep is from King Arthur.  BUT, I gather you'll need to use a class to go the distance.  Take either mentioned above, but I'm a little partial to Aaron's (sorry Tad!).

A few examples of my work below.  My benchmark numbers: 
X grams butter, 
X grams liquid, 
1.67 X grams flour.  

After a bifold of butter, 3 turns, scale each to about 75-100 g, roll, sit them in the fridge overnight covered, then a looong proof the next morning, ca. 2 hours, glaze with yolk/milk and baking at 375F for about 20 minutes (convection).


 Classic and nutella.  Dough using mostly milk and 10% whole wheat flour.

 Similar but no whole wheat in flour bill.

Also all unbleached white, no wheat.  Nutella on left.  Interesting that the nutella didn't crush the internal structure.