How to Make a Perfectly Golden Croissant with Lamination

Making a perfectly golden croissant with lamination requires patience, technique, and precision. The lamination process involves folding butter into dough multiple times to create thin layers, resulting in the light, flaky texture croissants are known for. Here’s a step-by-step guide to achieving the perfect croissant with lamination.

Ingredients:

1. For the Dough:

   • 500g all-purpose flour
   • 10g salt
   • 80g sugar
   • 10g instant yeast
   • 300ml water (cold)
   • 40g unsalted butter (softened)

2. For the Butter Block:

   • 250g unsalted butter (cold)

3. For the Egg Wash:

   • 1 egg
   • 1 tablespoon water

Tools:

• Rolling pin
• Plastic wrap
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Pastry brush

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1. Prepare the Dough:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, sugar, and instant yeast. Make sure the salt and yeast do not come into direct contact, as it can inhibit the yeast’s activity.
• Add cold water and mix until the dough just starts to come together. You may need to adjust the water slightly, depending on your flour.
• Add softened butter and knead the dough for 5–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. The dough should be firm but slightly tacky. If it’s too wet, add a bit more flour.
• Once kneaded, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour to rest.

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2. Prepare the Butter Block:

• While the dough is resting, prepare the butter block. Take the cold butter and cut it into small chunks. Place the butter between two pieces of parchment paper or plastic wrap.
• Use a rolling pin to pound and roll the butter into a square or rectangle that measures about 20cm x 20cm (8 inches x 8 inches). The butter should be cold but malleable, not too soft or hard.
• Once the butter block is the right size, wrap it up and refrigerate it until needed.

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3. Laminate the Dough:

• Once the dough has rested, roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle, roughly 40cm x 20cm (16 inches x 8 inches).
• Place the cold butter block on the lower half of the dough. Fold the top half of the dough over the butter, like a book, ensuring the butter is completely enclosed.
• Roll the dough out into a long rectangle (about 60cm x 20cm, or 24 inches x 8 inches). Be careful not to let the butter break through the dough.
• Perform a single fold: fold the dough into thirds, like folding a letter. This is the first turn.
• Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow it to rest and chill.

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4. Repeat the Lamination Process:

• Remove the dough from the refrigerator, lightly flour your surface, and roll the dough out again into a long rectangle.
• Perform the same letter fold and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Repeat this process a total of three to four times. Each time you roll and fold, you are building the layers of butter and dough that will create the croissant’s flakiness.

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5. Shape the Croissants:

• After the final turn, roll the dough into a large rectangle. It should be about 5mm (1/4 inch) thick.
• Cut the dough into long triangles (about 10cm or 4 inches at the base and 20cm or 8 inches long).
• To shape the croissants, take each triangle and gently stretch it, then roll it up tightly from the base to the tip, forming a crescent shape.
• Place the shaped croissants on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, ensuring they are not touching each other.

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6. Proof the Croissants:

• Allow the croissants to proof at room temperature for 2–3 hours or until they have doubled in size. During this time, the yeast will work to make the dough rise and become airy. The croissants should be puffed up and slightly jiggly when you gently touch them.

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7. Apply Egg Wash:

• Before baking, prepare an egg wash by beating together 1 egg and 1 tablespoon of water. Using a pastry brush, gently brush the croissants with the egg wash, being careful not to deflate the dough.

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8. Bake the Croissants:

• Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Place the proofed croissants into the oven and bake for 15–20 minutes, or until they are golden brown and crisp on the outside.
• The croissants should puff up beautifully and achieve a golden color due to the butter layers. If necessary, rotate the baking sheet halfway through baking to ensure even coloring.

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9. Cool and Serve:

• Once baked, remove the croissants from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack for a few minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature for the best texture and flavor.

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Tips for Perfect Croissants:

1. Butter Temperature: The butter should be cold but pliable. Too soft, and it will melt into the dough; too hard, and it will break through the dough during rolling.
2. Resting Time: Always give the dough plenty of time to rest in the fridge between turns. This ensures the butter remains cold and the gluten has time to relax.
3. Proper Proofing: Don’t rush the proofing process. Under-proofed croissants won’t puff up properly in the oven, and over-proofed croissants may collapse.
4. Oven Temperature: A hot oven is crucial for getting the croissants to puff up and achieve the perfect golden crust. Be sure your oven is fully preheated before baking.

By following these steps, you’ll be able to create delicious, perfectly golden croissants with beautiful layers that are flaky on the outside and tender on the inside.