Comments on: Le Croissant

By: Kris

Kris — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 22:18:47 +0000

Amy,

Is the recipe for les croissants the same for pain de chocolat? They seem to be a similar consistency, although the latter is rolled with chocolate bits in it.

Thanks!

By: Nita

Nita — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 21:33:09 +0000

Hi
I just saw a recipe for croissants and it calls for dry butter. What is dry butter and where can i find .
Thanks

By: kamikz

kamikz — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 13:40:23 +0000

Thanks for sharing your recipe and insight.
I am using the Italian flour type 00, specifically the Caputo brand. I am using it as a result of some research to find the equivalent flour in terms of protein content. Have you ever heard of such substitution that worked well?
Here’s the problem I face: the flake on the croissant, though flaky and in good quantity, is a bit hard. And another problem is the inside, it is light enough, but I have seen much more “air-y”. I have been improving it from bagel like consistency to more challah/roll consistency and to, now, even closer to what I tasted in Paris when I was there, and what I had in a little shop called Ceci-cela in NY. (I’m in SF)
What I use:
Since I don’t have a weight scale. I converted all to volume measures.
239ml flour tipo 00
20ml sugar
2.5ml salt
15ml butter
35ml water
5ml sugar
5ml rapid yeast
35ml milk
80ml butter
I mix by hand and the initial mixing always seem a little dry so I carefully add drips of milk. I suppose it is really hard to describing until what point I stop. But basically, no flour’s whiteness can be seen, not sticking to finger, though. Making an impression on it with a finger feels substantial but not difficult.
Then I do all the folding and chilling similar to your instruction.
Then I roll out the dough to about 9.5mm. Proof it for 2 hours. And bake at—here’s the funny part, the oven’s knob has lost its marks, so I am guessing–400f. for 25-28mins.
Any idea on the flake hardness and the inside’s lightness problem?
Thank You!
Best,

By: aeshon

aeshon — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 11:05:58 +0000

hey there! was in LCB too, doing the patisserie course. and yeah, agree this beurre sec is the key. i live in italy though and there is no such thing. there is however President (brand) butter here. think that might work? just tried making a batch of the croissants using one of the fresh butter available at e supermarche. whole batch ruined n the butter burned and smoked out my entire oven. sigh.. any ideas?

By: M. Kamermans

M. Kamermans — Mon, 17 Jul 2006 14:05:23 +0000

the turns technique required for croissants is fairly straight forward and does not strictly speaking require video:
to start, roll out the butter to a roughly 0.5cm thick square, and roll out the dough until it is big enough to be wrapped around the butter, neatly folding all around it without leaving any gaps for butter to come out of.
the turns technique for layered dough is then quite simple; roll the dough to a rectangle about twice as high as it is wide, and then fold the top 1/3 over the middle 1/3, like you would a letter. then fold the bottom 1/3 over this too, again like a letter.
turn the dough so the open ends are at the top and bottom, and roll the dough until it is as thin as before you folded the dough.
repeating this process means that the folds for layers are always alternating, which ensures neither butter nor dough will “heap up” along the folds.

By: Kathryn

Kathryn — Mon, 14 Nov 2005 21:01:48 +0000

Good news! I found compressed yeast in San Fran at Mollie Stone’s supermarket on Fillmore in Pacific Heights. Now, if only I could find European flour and dry butter…the hunt continues! Love your blog — I want to be back in Paris!