RecipeTraditional Butter Croissants

Episode Description

Join us as our host Dan DaRocha and Chris Houle, an experienced baker and sales consultant at Erika Baking Equipment discuss the method for producing a “Traditional Butter Croissant.” This includes exploring the butter block, shaping and more!

Recipe

Metric
Milk – 2.942 kg
Bread Flour – 4.599 kg
Yeast (Dry) – 112 g
Sugar – 447 g
Salt – 112 g
Butter – Softened for mixture into dough 559g
Butter – Reserved for butter block 2.551 kg

Standard
Milk – 6.49 lb
Bread Flour – 10.14 lb
Yeast (Dry) – 0.25 lb
Sugar – 0.99 lb
Salt – 0.25 lb
Butter – Softened for mixture into dough 1.23 lb
Butter – Reserved for butter block 5.62 lb

Methodology

Mixing
This is a straight mix, add all your ingredients into a Spiral Mixer and mix for 4 minutes on low and 2 minutes on high. Reserve butter that has been scaled for your butter block. You will need this later!

Retarding
For our recipe, we have elected to refrigerate overnight. This will help cool down the dough and allow the glutens to relax.

Butter Block
Mix the butter that was reserved for the butter block with a Planetary Mixer until pliable. Once pliable, form butter into a flat block like shape between two layers of parchment paper. Refrigerate your newly formed butter block for approximately 1/2 hour until firm. The consistency should still be somewhat pliable.

Locking Butter Block
In our video we opted to use a manual method for locking the butter into the dough. You will want to make sure that your dough completely envelops the butter block. Be sure to overlap dough pieces so that a seam is made.

Laminating & Folding
Generally speaking, croissant dough must be laminated and folded three times. We opted to laminate once, then fold our dough and laminate a second time. We then refrigerated the dough for one hour and proceeded to laminate and fold the dough again. After the third fold, a final retarding phase is required.

Final Retarding Phase
As previously mentioned, after the third fold a final retarding phase is required. We opted to refrigerate our dough for one hour, however you can opt to refrigerate even longer – up to overnight.

Cutting
Once the final retarding phase is complete, take your folded piece of dough and perform a final lamination. Once the dough reaches the proper thickness, release the cutting attachment on your sheeter and proceed to cut the dough into triangular shapes.

Shaping
Once cut, take your triangular piece of dough and begin by stretching the dough. Once stretched, place it onto your work station. Proceed to roll into the familiar croissant shape. Optionally, you may also choose to curl/create a curved shape with your newly formed croissant.

Proofing
Allow your newly formed croissant to proof at room temperature for approximately 2 – 3 hours.

Baking
Bake in a preheated convection oven at 350°F for 15 – 20 minutes. Total baking times and temperatures may vary according to your oven, altitude and baking environment.

Cool & Serve
Enjoy your freshly baked croissants. Yields approximately 80, 5 oz. croissants.

About Erika Baking Equipment

Erika Baking Equipment is the leading manufacturer and distributor of retail/commercial bakery equipment. For over 20 years, we have provided our customers with both excellent equipment and outstanding customer service. Our products include: bagel/bread/roll slicers, bread and roll systems, cake slicers, cookie presses, depositors, divider/rounders, mixers, sheeters/makeup tables, ovens, and more!