Help from anyone who has made croissants from scratch. This is my White Whale.

M

marilynfl

Moderator
I have made almost every pastry there is, but avoided croissants due to the LONG time constraints. But now I'm retired, I have time, I have fresh yeast and, by golly, I'm going to give this a shot.

Of course, we all know what happened to Ahab.

I'm using "Sarabeth's Bakery: From my hands to yours" recipe and have two questions for you:

1. I bought Irish butter for the beurrage, but then realized that European butter has less water than American butter and I may be screwing things up by using that.

2. I now have a convection option in my oven. Should I use regular heat or convection heat for the baking portion.

This will be a three day project. She says the dough has to sit for 2 days before shaping/baking.

Thanks all

 
way beyond my skillset but

Watching "Somebody Feed Phil" the other night I learned that in France if a croissant is made with 100% butter "croissants au beurre" it is rolled straight.

If fake butter/margerine or other oils are included it is "croissants ordinaries" and crescent shaped.

 
Have made croissants many times, Marilyn

Don't know the book or recipe you are using. I've always made them successfully in a day. The dough does get chilled a few times after each incorporation of the butter (especially in this humid, warm climate) and I use a refrigerated granite slab for rolling (I have granite and put it in the fridge to chill before rolling/ folding)

You know what a Julia fan I am- I have always used her recipe for croissants and have always used unsalted American butter. I doubt the Irish butter will change the consistency that much even without less water.

They don't take that long to bake so I would go with good old-fashioned regular baking. I like the full processing time of them baking but that is just me.

A freshly-baked croissant is one of the best things EVER in food world! Stick a hunk of good chocolate in one or two for pan au chocolat....

 
Probably in this age where anything goes, Paul

In all my books croissants are made with real butter and shaped in a crescent. Maybe now days they have to discern between expensive and not-so-expensive ingredients. Interesting.

 
My 2 cents worth: . . .

The French use european butter, right? I'd go with that since you have it already.

I believe lots of commercial bakeries use convection ovens; so go with that. Or if you wish to go with a still oven, make sure you pre-heat well.

And the long rise (the three day process) should ensure a flavorful dough for your croissant.

Let us know how they come out!

 
apparently a law in France straight or curved based upon 100% butter or not

 
I've always used local butter too but that European quality has such a superior flavour. As long as

it is unsalted, you can't go wrong though. I always think that unsalted has a bit less water and haven't bought salted in about 20 years.

I agree on giving it a long rest.

This woman is a very successful baker and has what I think is the all-time best 'cooking' show available. You may find a little tip in this video.

And congratulations on the retirement.

Now back to my brioche made with local butter.

http://www.foodnetwork.ca/shows/bake-with-anna-olson/video/episode/croissant-dough/video.html?v=64726083778

 
Watch this video demo!!! Just did a couple of days ago and I think I had too much water in my butter

And did a couple other things that I learned not to do in watching this video. They too were my white whale and I made them once just from a recipe with no other idea of what I was doing. They looked beautiful on the outside but I didn’t get a good flaky pronounced roll on the inside.

Your question couldn’t have had better timing because as I said I just watch this like two nights ago!

http://www.gbakes.com/p/demos_13.html?m=1

 
And we EXPECT a full report. Even is all goes well I'm sure you'll have us in stitches with your

tale of how things went smileys/smile.gif

 
I've made them a few times from the KA recipe. My boss' boss from France was visiting and

there they were on my desk. The first batch I ever made. They looked like criossants. To me they tasted like criossants. But to have this guy from France visiting for meetings try one - EEEEKKKKK.

He's a sweet guy at heart (thank goodness) and said they were good. I won't fool myself in thinking they were up to his standards. But he did come back for a second one later that day. smileys/smile.gif

The next time he came for a visit I happened to have browned-butter chocolate chunk cookies. He had a few of those and told my boss that baking something when he's there to visit needed to be in my yearly goals. (he was half-joking - he has a sweet tooth). And I always did make sure there was some sort of treat available.

 
I've decided to use Trader Joe's unsalted butter for the beurrage and save the Irish for schmears.

SaraBeth says the test of a good croissant is to be able to pull on the tip of a finished roll and have a long spiral unfurl.

I can feel my arteries clogging as I write this.

 
I've always used Plugra and Paula Peck's recipe. The resting time

determines how long the process takes, for me and my overheated apartment and crappy landlord supplied fridge it did take 2 days - the weekend.

I need to make them again as I still am craving them stuffed with Hatch green chiles and cojita cheese.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top