Croissants

[Isa]

There seems to be two ways of making croissants:


The first one is to make a dough (détrempe) and leave it in the fridge overnight. The next day, you incorporate the butter do the turns etc. This is the method found in Baking With Julia, The Brother Roux on Pastry and How To Bake by Nick Malgieri.

The second one, advice you to make the dough, let it rest in the fridge for an hour or so then incorporate the butter, doing the turns. This is found in Nancy Silverton’s Pastries From La Brea. Rose Levey Beranbaum in The Pie And Pastry Bible says you can leave the dough in the fridge between 2 hours or over night.


What are the advantages of each methods? What are the differences in the croissants ?

[angrychef]

I think the first method would produce a slightly more flavorful dough since the detrempe is given the chance to slowly rise overnight(slow long rise= flavor). Also, the long rest would ease gluten formation and chill the dough for ease in rolling.

I usually use the second method. I let the dough rest about an hour and a half and then proceed with the butter. Obviously the second method is faster, but you'd still have to rest both doughs overnight before forming.

[mudbug]

I agree with angrychef, I have made the Silverton recipe which is amazing. I haven't let a croissant dough rest and rise overnight but I can totally understand how this could only make a great bread better. The less the yeast and the longer the rise is always better with yeast breads in developing flavor. If you're going to go through the complexities of making real, homemade croissant dough from scratch, why not take the time to do it so that you get the most amazing results?

[Pete]

The way I was taught to make crossiant dough basically combines the two techniques. We would make the dough, add the butter and do the first turn. Then let it rest overnight and do the next turns the following day. It usually wasn't until the third day that we would divide the dough, and roll crossiants,

[Isa]

After reading every croissants recipe, thinking about it all night I decided on Nancy Silverton's recipe. Why? Mainly for practicality. I won't be home Friday so I needed a recipe that doesn't require two overnight stay in the fridge. Next time I'll do the Baking With Julia recipe. Just to see what difference an extra night in the fridge does.

I’ve done three turn, so far so good. I hope they’ll turn out all right.


Thanks for your help!

[Isa]

The croissants turned out great!

Golden and crispy outside, moist and flavourful inside.

[jcrsees]

did u know that the perfect French croissnat dough weights only 65 grams. thats the French way.. I like them 90 grams. They are not the American version but the extended French respectiful way. And they taste so good with the exact wonderful butter.