Description
Sourdough croissants bring pure Paris bakery magic right to your kitchen, with layers of golden, crispy perfection waiting to melt in your mouth. Baking these buttery beauties requires patience and practice, but the delicious reward makes the effort absolutely worth it.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 3.5 cups bread flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1.5 cups unsalted butter
- 0.5 cup active sourdough starter
Supporting Ingredients:
- 0.25 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
Finishing/Coating Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
- Mix the sourdough starter, 1 cup warm milk, and ¼ cup sugar in a large bowl. Dissolve these ingredients thoroughly, ensuring no sugar crystals remain.
- Add 3 ½ cups bread flour and 1 teaspoon salt to create a shaggy dough mixture. Knead for 5-7 minutes until your dough becomes smooth and elastic.
- Incorporate ½ cup softened butter into the dough, adding one tablespoon at a time. Ensure each addition blends completely before adding the next.
- Let your dough ferment at room temperature for 4-6 hours. Watch for it to double in size, indicating proper fermentation.
- Shape the dough into a rectangular form and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up the texture.
- Create a butter block by rolling 1 cup cold butter between parchment paper into a 7×10-inch rectangle. Refrigerate until firm.
- Roll your chilled dough into a 10×14-inch rectangle. Center the butter block and fold the dough like an envelope.
- Roll the dough to 10×14 inches again, then fold into thirds. Repeat this folding process two more times, chilling for 30 minutes between each fold.
- Stretch the laminated dough into a 10×14-inch rectangle. Slice into three equal strips and stack them on top of each other.
- Gently twist the stacked strips and place them in a buttered loaf pan. Allow to proof at room temperature for 6-8 hours until puffy.
- Heat your oven to 375°F. Whisk 1 egg with 1 tablespoon milk to create an egg wash.
- Brush the proofed dough with egg wash. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the surface reaches a deep golden brown color.
- Remove from oven and let the bread cool for 15 minutes before slicing to allow internal structure to set.
Notes
- Use a mature, active sourdough starter at its peak for the best rise and flavor in this complex bread.
- Maintain consistent cold temperature when laminating the dough to ensure those beautiful, distinct buttery layers.
- Work quickly when handling the butter block to prevent it from becoming too soft, which can break down the delicate pastry layers.
- Consider using European-style high-fat butter for an extra rich and flaky texture that will make your croissant bread stand out.
- Prep Time: 6 hours 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
- Category: Breads
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg