Croissant help (plateau)

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ArtisanTatum on 3 Jan 2024 at 13:06

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Hello!

I've been attempting to make and get familiar with laminated pastry for a while and I’ve hit a certain spot with my croissants.

It seems like I get can’t after two major hurdles, first is the oven spring, I feel like my proofing is fine, but when I put the croissant in the oven they don’t rise at all.

Second is the texture of the crust, I tried to make steam either with ice cubes or a boiling water tray, both options ended up with disappointing results.

I’ve tried to make many experiments with these variables in the past two weeks, changing the oven temperature, proofing time and environment but sadly not much change.

including images of the current state of croissants.

 

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Had another go using a pretty basic recipe

100% flour

45% liquid (milk and water)

13.75% suger

4% salt

2% instant dry yeast 

9.5% butter

Butter for lamination is 25% weight of the dough

I tried to give the dough more rest time at the fridge/freezer to be sure the butter is cold enough and doesn’t incorporate into the dough but I think a my pressed down to hard while laminating. 

Still no oven spring and disappointing crust, adding picture of cross section.

Im still trying to change every variable along the way using this recipe, I’ll try to update.

 

 

Your formula and procedure might help. Been baking croissants for a number of years and rarely have much difficulty. I always plan dough and lamination for first day, then proof and bake next day or next several days. Tell us a bit more and maybe we can be of some assistance.

Phil

Many thank to both of you for replying,

I may have messed up the percentages I’m not totally sure, anyway this is the process.

400 gram tipo 00 four 11.5 grams of protein 

55 grams of sugar 

about 8 grams of salt

7-8 grams of instant yeast ( I have some trouble scaling them)

100 grams cold water

80 grams milk

30 grams butter

170 grams laminated butter

Mix until some strength and rest 40 minutes then freeze 40 minutes, then overnight in the fridge.

The day after place butter block and perform a double fold, then rest in fridge for about 30 minutes until I like the dough consistency, roll out and perform a single fold.

rolling out for shaping usually takes me twice while resting the dough in the middle, after shaping I proof them for 2 and a half hours at 27 degrees.

Bake in the oven until I like the color.

I have a few more batches I haven’t posted here but the problem stays the same, I have a feeling the yeast I’m using has a hard time developing gas after the freezer. Tomorrow morning I’ll try to bake two from my latest batch without the fan in the oven.

…to get back to this, but here are a few observations.

Agree with Lance that 4% salt would have seemed high as that much salt could impede yeast growth. However you later reported 8 g of salt to 400g flour which is a more normal 2%. FWIW, I shoot for 1.8% but I use salted butter.

Your hydration seems a bit low at 45%. I shoot for 55% with 25% milk, 25% water and 5% whole egg.

Your sugar’s slightly lower than my standard 15% but it’s in the ballpark.

For flour, I generally use 50% AP and 50% pastry if I have it. Else 100% AP.

Your proof time seems longish at 80° F. Might look at adjusting temperature or proof time or both.

As far as your method goes, I’ll just share mine and you can try or not:

  1. Mix liquid (but hold eggs back), sugar and yeast, rest for 10 minutes.
  2. Mix in flour and salt, machine knead 4 minutes at low speed.
  3. Increase machine speed and knead for another 6 minutes , adding egg and butter after 3-4.
  4. Rest 10-20 minutes
  5. Roll dough to 20 cm x 30 cm rectangle. Wrap and refrigerate 30-120 minutes.
  6. Meanwhile prep lamination butter at 33% dough weight. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
  7. Enclose butter slab in dough, rollout and book fold (dimensions fairly unimportant at this stage). Refrigerate 30-120 minutes.
  8. Roll out and letter fold to 20 cm x 30 cm rectangle. (Conveniently fits into 1/4 sheet pan.) Refrigerate overnight or for up to 3-4 days.
  9. After counter rest and some sound thumping, roll dough to 54 cm x 32 cm. Trim to 50x30.
  10. Cut to 2 25x30, then 6 25x10 rectangles, then 12 25x10 triangles.
  11. Proof  at 75° F 90-120 minutes.
  12. Egg wash then bake at 375° F ~10-15 minutes, then 350° F +/- 10-15 minutes more.

Significant deltas I noticed were your hydration and proof times. I think if you focus there your croissants will improve. Report back on your progress.

Best of luck,

Phil