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Got into making croissants a few months ago and was shocked to learn that classic French ones have over 70 layers of butter and dough
Saw it in a baking science book at the library while looking up why my first batch came out like hockey pucks - has anyone else had their mind blown by a random fact from a cookbook that totally changed how they approach a recipe?
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aaron_mitchell12d ago
Greasy bread" is exactly how I'd describe my first attempt too. What finally clicked for me (and what I wish I'd known sooner) is that the butter has to be cold but not too cold, like right out of the fridge but let it sit for maybe three minutes. That golden zone is where it folds without cracking but doesn't turn into a greasy mess. And @anna491 nailed it with the ruler thing, I actually use a pizza cutter and a straight edge to trim the edges so every layer starts even. For anyone struggling, I swear by doing a test fold with just dough and a stick of cold butter, no rolling, just see if it bends without tearing. The science stuff is cool and all but the real trick is getting that butter temperature dialed in, then the layers actually work.
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anna49114d ago
Oh man, have you read about the "pound cake" thing where it was literally a pound of each ingredient? I stumbled on that in an old community cookbook and it blew my mind because I always thought measuring was so precise. But for croissants, the layer thing is wild - I messed up my first few batches so bad they were just greasy bread. The science behind it is crazy though, like how each layer of butter has to be exactly the same thickness so the steam can lift it all evenly. I spent a whole weekend practicing the folding technique with cold butter and a ruler, no joke. It's like the book said, once you understand why you do each step it stops being a mystery and starts making actual sense.
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jessica70713d ago
Greasy bread" lol I used to think more butter = better. This definitely changed my mind.
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