Sourdough Croissants

A variation on the classic croissant. I'm a croissant freak and a sourdough freak, so these are right up my street.  Freak Street.


NOTE: These are going to take a few days to make, but it's totally worth it.


Sourdough Croissants
slightly adapted from Bitter Baker
Makes 12

For the Ferment:

145g white starter/sourdough culture (here are some instructions on how to make it if you don't already have some)
250g water at 20 degrees C

415g bread flour

olive oil for kneading

For the Dough:

6g fresh yeast

15g lukewarm water

50g caster sugar

½ teaspoon sea salt flakes

80g bread flour

200g unsalted butter, room temperature

Glaze:

1 egg, lightly beaten

Make the Ferment:

Put the starter, bread flour and water in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on low speed until it comes together. Rub 1 teaspoon of olive oil on a work surface and tip the dough out on to it. Pat the dough out until it's an oval shape then fold the top and bottom into the middle, then both sides in toward the middle. Let the dough rest in a clean, dry bowl which has be smeared with oil for 15 minutes. Repeat the folding and resting three more times. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and let is rest in the fridge for 12 hours. I left it overnight.

Make the Dough:

Mix the yeast with the water in the bowl of a stand mixer and set i aside for 10 minutes until foamy. Take the ferment out of the fridge and add it to the yeast mixture along with the sugar, salt and flour. Mix on low speed to bring it together into a smooth dough and let it rest in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Form the Croissant:

Take the butter out of the fridge at least 20 minutes before you want to start shaping the croissants. Place it between two sheets of plastic wrap and beat it with a rolling pin until it is a 15cm x 15cm square. Roll the dough out to a 30cm x 30cm square Place the butter on the bottom half of the dough and fold the top half over it to completely cover the butter. Press the edges of the dough together to seal in the butter. Prick the dough a few time with a skewer, this will make it easier to roll.  Roll the dough to a rectangle that measures 25cm x 50cm. Fold in thirds, wrap in plastic wrap and let rest in the fridge for 1 hour. Repeat the rolling and folding three more times.

Roll the dough out to a rectangle that measures 25cm x 50cm. Cut triangles, about 10cm wide and 25cm tall (I used a pizza cutter). Roll up the croissants, starting at the wide end, and ending with the point of the triangle. Put the triangles on a baking sheet lined with baking paper and leave to rest in the fridge for 1 hour.

Place them on a greased baking tray, pointed end down, and brush with beaten egg. Let them rise for 2-3 hours, until they are puffy. Brush with more beaten egg just before they go in the oven. Bake them at 220 degrees C for 10 minutes, turn the temperature down to 190 degrees C and bake for another 15 minutes.