Crossiant

The preparation of croissants consists of two main phases: the initial dough, called détrempe, and the laminating, which consists of integrating the butter into the détrempe, forming alternate layers.

The difficulty in making croissants at home lies in manually creating thin and even layers of dough/butter in order to achieve a product with good volume and an open, honey-comb texture.

Tools

For making the dough and shaping the butter:

• Clingfilm and freezer bag. It is important to correctly wrap the détrempe (and then the dough) in clingfilm and then put it inside a freezer bag to prevent it from drying out. It will also protect the dough against possible unpleasant smells inside the refrigerator.
• Waxed paper, pencil and ruler. To give the butter the right shape in order to work with precision.

For laminating:

• Cold tray. Before rolling, place a tray (better if steel or marble) inside the freezer so you can place in it croissants once cut and keep them cold before shaping.
• Ice blocks. To keep the work surface cool at all times.
• Rolling pin. A stainless steel rolling pin is non-stick and heavy, which saves effort when handling some doughs. However, its weight can also be a disadvantage, especially without experience in laminating — too much pressure can break the layers. A standard wooden rolling pin is perfectly fine to start with.
• Brush. To remove excess flour without damaging the dough.
• Infrared thermometer. Necessary to control the temperature of the dough at all times. Cheap and very practical.
• Sharp knife or pizza steel. To trim the edges of the dough during laminating, and to precisely divide the croissants before shaping them.

Notes on Ingredients

What flour should we use?

Choosing the right flour is very important to get croissants with the right volume and texture. Check: baking strength, elasticity/tenacity ratio (P/L), and protein percentage.

• Baking strength: choose a strong flour that develops gluten during kneading and rolling, measured by the W factor (a strong flour ranges between W320 and W380).
• P/L: the flour has to maintain its strength over time, during proofing and baking. A good P/L ratio (between 0.4 and 0.7 approx.) avoids the dough fighting back during laminating.
• Proteins: rich in protein (between 13% and 15%), since the development of the croissants depends largely on it.

Also consider the flour’s water absorption power — a flour with high water absorption will need more hydration. Two good options: Lievitati flour (W350-370, P/L 0.48/0.50, Proteins >13%) and Sfoglia flour (W300-320, P/L 0.48/0.50, Proteins >13%), both from Molino Pasini.

Yeast, sourdough, or preferment?

Croissants can be fermented using yeast (direct method), a mix of preferment (poolish) and yeast, or a combination of sourdough and yeast.

• Sourdough: not recommended without experience — it adds complexity and requires rigorous control of sourness, since croissants cannot have any sour taste. After testing a 30% sourdough + small amount of dry yeast combination, the results lacked volume and the expected texture.
• Preferment: some bakers use poolish (equal parts flour and water with a pinch of yeast, fermented 8-16 hours, used at 30-40% of total flour weight). It gives more extensibility but brings more moisture, requiring more hydration control.
• Dry vs. fresh yeast: fresh yeast is the best option. Dry yeast contains additives, ferments more slowly, and is harder to judge for freshness. Buy fresh yeast in small quantities, check the expiration date and smell before using, don’t freeze it, and keep it wrapped in clingfilm inside a sealed glass jar.

Why is sugar important?

In addition to flavor and color (caramelization), sugar feeds the yeast during proofing. Too little sugar means poor fermentation, color, and texture. Sugar also absorbs moisture, so water needs adjusting accordingly. Croissants usually carry 8-15% sugar; avoid liquid/granulated sweeteners since they have a different sweetening power.

Water or milk?

Milk adds flavor and influences elasticity during gluten formation. A good balance is half water, half semi-skim milk. Use filtered or spring water; if using tap water, let it sit a couple of hours in a glass so chlorine can evaporate.

Is egg necessary?

No — croissant dough does NOT carry egg (unlike Danish pastry). Egg would give a more “brioche” texture; croissants need a drier, lighter texture.

Is salt essential?

Yes, especially in fermented doughs — it strengthens the gluten, increases water absorption, and slows yeast activity so the dough doesn’t ferment too early during the process.

What is malted barley flour for?

Used in many breads to enhance flavor and improve the crust. Optional but a nice touch for croissants; available in specialized and organic food stores.

What is the best butter for laminating?

Professionals often use special “dry” butter for puff pastry (84% fat, melting point around 34°C vs. 28°C for standard butter), which is easier to work with. This isn’t necessary at home — a good quality supermarket butter (e.g. organic French butter from Président) gives great results. Avoid shortening or low-fat products.

Formula

Détrempe (initial dough)

• 300 g strong flour (Lievitati from Molino Pasini) (100%)
• 80 g cold water (26.6%)
• 79 g cold semi-skimmed milk (26.4%)
• 45 g sugar (15%)
• 30 g unsalted butter, softened (10%)
• 6 g salt (2%)
• 9 g fresh yeast (3%)
• 2 g malted barley (0.6%)

For laminating

• 171 g butter (31% of the total détrempe weight)

Organization

Day 1 (Saturday)

• 7:00 pm: make the détrempe and chill it in the freezer.
• 7:30 pm: prepare the butter block and keep it in the fridge overnight.
• 8:30 pm: remove the détrempe from the freezer and store it in the fridge overnight.

Day 2 (Sunday)

• 8:00 am: start laminating, first fold.
• 9:00 am: second fold.
• 10:00 am: third fold.
• 11:30 am: cut and shape the croissants and let them ferment.
• 2:30-3:00 pm: bake the croissants.

Method — Day 1

7:00 pm — Détrempe (initial dough)

Place all ingredients, except the butter, into the bowl of a stand mixer and knead about 4 minutes at minimum speed. Liquids have to be very cold to prevent the dough from overheating and beginning to ferment during kneading — the dough temperature at the end of kneading should not exceed 22°C.

You may have to adjust the hydration percentage depending on the water absorption capacity of your flour: the more hydrated the dough, the harder it’ll be to get an open crumb (though easier to laminate). After 4 minutes, add the softened butter and continue kneading 3-4 minutes at the same speed.

Knead enough to develop gluten so the dough supports the later integration of butter, but not 100% — gluten keeps developing during laminating. 8-10 minutes of kneading is usually enough, though it depends on your flour and mixer. The final dough should be smooth, with some elasticity (but not too much), and should not stick to your hands or the work surface.

Shape the dough as a disc with your palm so it cools faster, wrap it well in plastic wrap, place it inside a freezer bag, and freeze for 1 to 1.5 hours (without letting it fully freeze).

Note: it’s not recommended to fully freeze the détrempe for later use, since the yeast weakens or dies depending on freezing time. Give it a cold snap instead, then keep it in the coldest part of the refrigerator until the next day.

Important: the détrempe should not ferment before laminating — it should rest in the cold so it relaxes and extends more easily. Ideally keep it below 6°C; place a thermometer in the fridge to check the actual temperature.

The détrempe needs to rest in the cold for at least 12 hours. Making croissants the same day gives much worse results.

7:30 pm — Shaping the butter

Before cooling the détrempe, weigh it to calculate the percentage of butter needed for laminating (e.g. 551 g dough x 31% = 171 g butter). Work in a cold kitchen (less than 18°C) — one of the keys to success. Keep ice blocks in the freezer to place on the work surface between folds. Marble is the best laminating surface because it stays cold, but steel or wood also work.

Method — Day 2

8:00 am — Laminating: enclosing the butter and first fold

The détrempe has rested overnight in the fridge and the butter is shaped. Work in a cold environment.

Ideal texture of détrempe and butter before laminating: think in terms of texture/plasticity rather than temperature — butter and détrempe need the same plasticity, not the same temperature, since butter heats faster than dough. As a general rule, work with dough at 8-9°C and butter at 11-13°C. Check with an infrared thermometer, but also feel it by hand: the butter should be cold but malleable (bendable without breaking). Too soft/hot butter will leak out and mix into the dough instead of forming layers; too hard/cold butter will crack and fail to form layers. If either gets too warm, stop and cool them down.

9:00 am — Second fold

How many folds does a croissant need? As a general rule, 1 double fold + 1 single fold, or 3 single folds. More folds means less volume; 3 simple folds is more practical since a double fold requires more strength and risks breaking the layers.

10:00 am — Third fold

Repeat the folding process, wrap the dough in plastic film, and let it rest an hour to an hour and a half in the fridge.

11:30 am — Cutting and shaping

Roll out the rested dough to cut the croissants before shaping.

Straight or half-moon croissants? According to current convention, a butter croissant has a straight shape while a half-moon shape is associated with shortening-based dough — though historically it was the reverse, since shortening appeared almost a century after the croissant was invented. The straight shape is simpler: roll the dough on itself once cut into triangles. The half-moon shape requires more technique.

12:00 pm — Proofing

Place the shaped croissants on a non-stick tray (or one covered with baking paper), leaving enough space between each.

Can shaped croissants be frozen for later proofing? Yes, but freezing and yeast aren’t very compatible. Freeze only after shaping and before proofing, in a tightly closed freezer bag, and don’t keep them long. Let them defrost before proofing when ready to bake.

Don’t rush proofing. Avoid accelerating fermentation with extra heat (e.g. near a heat source or in a preheated oven) — the croissants have had careful laminating work put into them, and excess heat will melt the butter and spoil it. As a general rule, croissants should ferment between 21°C and 24°C with about 75-80% humidity. Leave them at room temperature in the warmest room of the house, or inside the oven (off, unpreheated — with the oven light on if needed to raise the temperature slightly, watching that it doesn’t exceed the maximum).

For humidity, place a bowl of hot water (about 70°C) in the oven, as far as possible from the tray, with the door closed and a thermometer inside to monitor temperature and humidity.

How do you know croissants are proofed and ready to bake? The usual bread finger-test doesn’t work for croissants — after fermentation the dough is delicate and shouldn’t be touched. Judge visually: the croissants should roughly double their initial volume (not more). Bigger croissants (more rolls) take longer to ferment. In this formula, croissants fermented for about 3 hours at 24°C and 80% humidity.

3:00 pm — Baking

Preheat the oven to 190°C (convection) for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, put the tray of proofed croissants in the fridge — this makes it easier to coat them with egg wash without crushing them, and the cold-to-heat contrast helps development in the oven.

After 15 minutes, take the tray out and brush the croissants with egg wash (egg alone, or a mix of yolk and cream/milk). Wash only the smooth parts and avoid the layers — egg there would seal them and prevent proper expansion.

Bake at 190°C for 17-20 minutes depending on size, without opening the oven.

Is steam necessary? Not generally, especially if the croissants fermented in a humid environment. If the initial dough was rather dry, you may want steam during the first 5 minutes.

When browned and ready, remove from the oven and let cool completely on a rack.

Keeping baked croissants: best eaten fresh. To keep them, store in a wooden box covered with a clean cloth. If they dry out, a few seconds in the microwave re-crisps them, or toast them.

Troubleshooting

Butter leaks out when laminating:

• Butter is too soft (hot).
• The détrempe is too hot and doesn’t chill the butter enough.
• Too much pressure on the rolling pin.

Dough shrinks and won’t extend correctly when folding:

• Excess kneading of the dough.
• Lack of hydration.
• Lack of rest between folds.
• The dough is too hot and has started to ferment.

Croissants develop well at first but lose volume in the oven:

• Initial oven temperature too high — they grow too fast, preventing uniform development.
• Over-fermentation.
• Yeast in poor condition.

Butter melts and pools around the croissants in the oven:

• Incorrect laminating (likely too soft/hot butter) — butter integrated into the dough instead of forming layers, and melts in the oven.
• Fermentation temperature too high, causing the butter to start melting.
• Oven temperature too high.

Personal Notes

• Do not wrap the dough in parchment paper and put it in the fridge — it becomes very dry and hard to roll.
• After taking the dough out of the fridge, leave it on the counter for about 5 minutes before rolling. Otherwise, if it’s too hard, the butter will crack.
• Going to try Bouchon’s recipe next.
• The dough has to be cold but not freezing. The butter block should be at room temperature so it’s easier to shape. The dough has to rest enough — at least 1 hour in the fridge.
• When rolling the dough, if it resists even a little, put it back in the fridge immediately.

References

• Daniel Álvarez, Sweet Devotion: una visión actual de la bollería artesana — Vilbo Ediciones, 2017
• JM Lanio, T. Marie, P. Mitaillé, Le grand livre de la boulangerie — Ducasse Édition, 2017
• Éric Kayser, Le Larousse du Pain — Larousse, 2013
• Xavier Barriga, Bollería — Grijalbo, 2013
• Chad Robertson, Tartine Bread — Chronicle Books, 2010
• https://gourmetier.com/french-croissants/
• http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/60218/diagnosing-croissant-layers-no-honeycomb
• https://wheatbeat.com/croissant/
• https://www.bessiebakes.com/french-croissant-recipe-chocolate-croissants-40-step-step-photos/