Sourdough Croissants
Indulge in these delicious, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth pastries made with fermented grains!
Ingredients
Dough
- 500 g flour
- 270 g water or milk
- 142 g starter
- 48 g sugar or honey
- 45 g melted butter 3 Tbsp
- 12 g salt
Butter block
- 1 cup butter 2 sticks
Egg wash
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tbsp water
Instructions
Mixing the Dough
- Froth together the starter and milk in a large bowl. Add in the sugar and salt and combine.
- Measure out the flour into the bowl but do not mix in. Pour the melted butter over the flour and let it absorb for 30 seconds. Using a fork or a stand mixer, mix the ingredients together until it forms a shaggy dough.
- Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface. Gently knead for 2-3 minutes until the dough is soft and fully combined. It should not stick to the surface.
- Place the dough in a clean bowl and cover. Let rest for 6 hours. Refrigerate overnight or 8-10 hours.
Making the butter block
- Place the sticks of cold butter in between layers of parchment or wax paper. Use a rolling pin to pound the butter until it starts to flatten and become moldable. Using the rolling pin and your fingers to shape the butter into a 6x8 rectangle. Refrigerate the butter packet for at least an hour or in the freezer for 15 minutes.
- Roll out the dough, using flour to prevent sticking if necessary, to a 9x13 rectangle shape. Place the butter packet in the center and fold the sides of the dough over. Pinch together the seam and the edges to seal the butter inside. Place on a plate or wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 20 mins.
Lamination
- Book Fold- roll the dough into a long 9x20 rectangle. From one side, gently stretch the dough and fold the outer edge to the middle. Repeat on the other side so that the outer edges meet in the middle. Then fold the dough in half. This creates 4 layers. Refrigerate the dough again for 20 minutes.
- Letter fold- roll the dough into a 8x18 rectangle. Fold the dough in thirds, just like you would a letter.
Shaping the Croissants
- Roll out the dough to a 20x10 rectangle, trimming the edges with a pizza cutter or knife.
- Cut the rectangle into 5 rectangles, each 4 inches in width. Cut each rectangle in half diagonally to make 10 triangles.
- To shape each croissant, gently stretch out the corner edges at the base of the triangle. Fold over the edge of the dough and begin to roll it up.
Proofing
- Once all the croissants are shaped, place them on a parchment lined baking sheet. Let them rest covered with a slightly damp cloth for 1-2 hours. They should be more puffy and jiggly than before but the dough should still spring back if gently poked.
- Long Fermentation: After placing the croissants on the baking sheet, you can refrigerate them again for however long you want to help ferment more. 6-12 hours is ideal but it can go longer until you are ready to bake. Then take them out and rest at room temp for 1-2 hours before baking.
Baking
- Remove the cloth and whisk together the egg yolk and milk. Brush on the egg wash, applying liberally. (If you see the cloth is sticking to the dough, spritz some water onto the cloth for easier removal)
- Bake in a 425° oven for 16-18 minutes or until deeply golden brown. If your croissants are on multiple baking sheets, bake the sheets one at a time to get the right color and bake.
- Enjoy warm or let cool completely and place in a freezer-safe dish for long term storage. They can easily be reheated in the microwave or oven at 475° for 3-4 minutes.