Croissants

[Elizabeth_11]

Croissants

• 80 g water
  
• 13-1/2 g fresh yeast
  
• 67 g pastry flour
  
• 27 g sucrose
  
• 8 g sea salt
  
• 116 g milk
  
• 37 g soft butter
  
• 80 g pastry flour
  
• 220 g bread flour
  
• 231 g butter for book
  

-create the poolish by mixing the water and yeast along with a generous pinch of sugar from the overall amount and adjust it to 70 degrees (this is where it's tricky and I'm not certain of the exact temperature the water an flour should be at, but i know the resting temp should be around 70 degrees----can anyone vouch for this number?)

-cover the water and yeast mixture with the first amount of pastry flour and let it ferment until cracks form on the surface of the flour. It is important not to disturb or shake the poolish while it is starting.

-scale the 231 g of butter, shape it into a rectangle and place it in the cooler.

-mix the salt, sucrose, 37 g of soft butter, and the milk in a small bowl so that the salt has a buffer of fat around it and does not kill the yeast upon direct contact.

-then add the rest of the flours, and your salt, sucrose, and butter mixture to the starter. Use the paddle first until it has combined.

-mix with the dough hook in the first gear for 1-2 minutes until the dough is homogenized. Do not overmix. The dough should look somewhat smooth and be coming out of the bowl. It is after this state where it is possible to overwork the gluten, not before.

-place the dough in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. let rise until it doubles in volume in a warm place (24 C/75 F) --proofing it above 31 C/87 F will melt the butter-do not exceed this temp.

-remove the dough from the proofer and press out the first gasses, then place it in a cooler overnight(or several hours).

-in the morning pull out your square of book butter so it becomes plyable (but not too soft; beating it with a roller will do this well.

-roll the dough out into a rectangle, with the middle being thicker than the edges

-place the rectangle of soft butter on it.

-fold the dough down over the butter, (the butter rectangle should not be in the same direction as the dough rectangle. If you were to place the butter rectangle in in the same direction, imagine rotaing the butter about 45 degrees, then fold the points over it. Place it back into the cooler until both are the same temperature. The dough should look like an envelope with the 4 points coming together (more or less) in the center.

-when you start to incorporate the layers, press on the dough with the rolling pin. It is best to press down, lift, and press down again, so you get a more even distribution of butter, instead of rolling on the dough and pushing the butter out to the edges in this initial phase. Roll out the rectangle and give 2 single book folds(turns), always keeping the seam on the right side.(Your dough should be 3 times as long as it is wide when rolling it out. *the butter should not have any hard spots (chunks of butter), and working quickly in small sections up and down the dough is best. Pressure should be firm, pressing more outward than downward.

-place the dough in the cooler and let rest for several hours

-roll the dough to a rectangle again and give one single or double (if it allows you) book fold.

-roll out lengthwise to 1/8 inch, until you obtain a rectangle.

-cut 2 even strips with a knife or pizza cutter, then cut even triangles(each at about 50 g) out of each strip.

-stretch each piece slightly prior to rolling the croissant. at the base of each triangle, cut a small slit, then stretch the 2 slit pieces slightly and roll.

-refrigerate again for a bit, then brush it with an egg wash of milk or cream, egg, and a pinch of salt. Be sure not to coat the sides of the layered dough, only the tops.

-proof again until doubled in size.

My notes do not have an oven temp, unfortunately, but I'm sure the temp. is comparable to the other recipes.

**note: it is very important that, if at any time during rolling, the butter oozes out anywhere or a seam opens up, refrigerate the dough. You cannot roll this dough out if it gets too warm**

Whew, so there are my notes from Sebastien Canonne! Again, this takes a LOT of practice but this recipe will make the best croissant on the planet if one follows the directions. If you have any additional questions, I'll try to answer them as best I can. Good luck!

Keywords: Bread

( RG476 )