Last months I've decided to include whole wheat flour in my viennoisserie products. So it was clear that one of the goals would be making a french classic, croissant, with some % of whole wheat flour. By now, what I have been testing is using a wholewheat flour levain + 30% of wholewheat flour in my croissants. So at the end it's around 1/3 of wholewheat flour in my croissant. I have also reduced sugar in the recipe around 1/3, and substitute regular sugar by brown sugar and some honey (or any other dark inverted sugar), and also adjust hydration because of the water absortion of the ingredients. Lamination butter remains the same, 500 gr x kilo of flour. I also decorated each croissant with some seeds and grains mix before baking.
This is the result. I'm quite proud.
How I wished your bakery was located near me...
When you think something cab’t be done, you post gorgeous pictures showing that it can!
I hope you know, this is going to blow Geremy’s (kendalm) mind.
I don't own a bakery at this moment. Now I live in Mexico, I think it's temporarly. I work as a freelance bakery instructor in several schools, also for some private companies. It's fine because I have time to make tests and try new things.
Wow so unique Abel, really impressive. How is the flavour and texture? They certainly look nice and crispy on the crust and the crumb is amazing.
Crispy as a croissant should be. I think wholewheat sourdough increases the flavour of the butter. I used french lamination butter "President". It's not so sweet as a regular croissant but you can feel the nutty flavour of the wholewheat cereal.
Makes for really easy laminating. How amazing are these croissants - I think I might have to give it whirl with whole wheat although I anticipate some failures. Is there anything different you need to consider from a regular croissant ?
The lamination tecnnique is the same. I usually make one double fold and then one single fold. It's true that the feeling with the dough is different if you compare when you make regular croissant. You feel the dough not so strong, you feel the dough is more unstable and usteady than a regular croissant dough.
And, boy, would I like to eat one! Those have to be so much more flavorful than a white-flour croissant. You have every reason to be pleased with the outcome of this experiment, Abel.
Paul
Thanks
Thanks for this, the lamination looks great. Did you try laminating any by hand?
No, I use machine. The result is better.