baking crossiants and kouign amanns in a combi oven

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just looking for advice.

currently im baking kouign amanns in a rational combi oven at a dry heat 190C for 7 minutes and then reducing temperature to 150c for 13 minutes. Rhey taste great but i was wondering if i should be adding a little steam at the beginning or at least have some humidity in the oven?

I relise the dough rises due to evaporation of water from layers of butter so probably doesnt need added steam but i was wondering if a shot of steam at beginning would help with rise?

Am i way off here.

am i right. Should i be baking puff pastries and croissants in a totally dry oven?

thanks for the help

Never really noticed a whole lot of difference with or without steam - with any viennioise despite some sources recommending a shot of steam. I usually go with a fully dry oven and on occasion introduce a little steam. As for kouign amman in particular which shape are you forming ? If you are doing the traditional coins there's little surface (only the tops) exposed to the air suggesting that steam may have even less impact. I find that laminates are somewhat of a craps shoot with respect to spring and for me I am pretty sure its just dialing in the final proof - 1 out of 3 times I seem to nail it and get that real bulbous croissant, great pain aux chocolates and i always include a few kouigns. Do you have any snaps to look at ?

Thanks for that - I go for traditional in muffin tins - 40 min. Approx proof and they ride five but you’re right I can’t imagine they’d get much higher - no photos though...itvey sell fast. Thankfully, cause I’m kinda addicted to them :)

I have a thing for the raw dough, I just go bananas over the aroma. Went out and picked up my favorite butter (president) yesterday and eager to start a new batch asap. Muffin time work great for kouign but not so much the coins - are you making coins or laying down a square and folding the corners ?

Thanks for that - I go for traditional in muffin tins - 40 min. Approx proof and they ride five but you’re right I can’t imagine they’d get much higher - no photos though...they sell fast and the Bretons are happy with them .Thankfully. cause I’m kinda addicted to them :)

At the bakery, we bake all enriched viennoiserie doughs in a rational with 5 perforated and lined trays at 167C (brioche at 150C) with 60% fan speed and 5 seconds steam. At home I also do steam and have noticed a difference, but my temps differ since I can't set at exactly 167. Steam is released in the last 5-10 minutes of the bake.

We do our puff  in a deck oven with no steam and the temps and times depends on what it is.

Thats brilliant thanks - what humidity setting do you have it at? And why at home do you add steam at end of bake surely everything has hardened by then. I assume after all that you believe I should add steam to my kouign amann. Currently I do 180C for 7 minutes and 150C for 13 minutes with low fan and dry oven