Sourdough Croissant Bread Recipe
This sourdough croissant bread recipe combines all the loveliness of a flaky croissant with the simplicity of a sourdough loaf. Sourdough croissant bread has a golden, flaky crust from layers of grated butter folded into the dough before a cold proof.
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Equipment
- kitchen scale
- large mixing bowl
- 7 qt Dutch Oven
- Danish dough whisk
- parchment paper
- banneton or proofing basket
- lame or sharp knife
- Digital thermometer
- box grater
Ingredients
Levain:
- 42 g starter
- 42 g water
- 42 g all-purpose flour
Bread dough:
- all of the levain or 125 g (½ cup) sourdough starter
- 350 g water, divided 1½ cups
- 500 g bread flour 4 cups
- 10 g salt 2 tsp
Add-Ins
- 113 g unsalted butter ½ cup
Instructions
Create the Levain
- 1:1:1 Levain: This recipe calls for a levain mixed the night before you mix the dough. Combine 42 g sourdough starter, 42 g water, and 42 g all-purpose flour in a small bowl. Cover and let it sit at room temperature for 8 hours.
- The levain is ready when it has doubled in size and has lots of bubbles, with a slightly sour aroma.
- Grate 113 g (½ cup) unsalted butter into a small dish and refrigerate until ready to add to the dough.
Autolyse
- Add 320 g (1⅓ cups) water and 500 g (4 cups) bread flour to a large bowl and mix with a Danish dough whisk until a shaggy dough forms and all of the flour is incorporated. I found that it helped to use my hands to work the final bits of flour into the dough.
- Cover the bowl and rest for 30 minutes.
Mix the Dough
- Combine 10 g (2 tsp) salt with the remaining 30 g (2 tbsp) water and stir to dissolve the salt. Pour the salty water into the bowl over the dough with all of the ripe levain, and mix until fully combined.
- I find that my hands are the best tool for this job. Use the pincer method to work the levain and salt into the dough. Squeeze the dough between your thumb and fingers, pinching the dough into sections. Rotate the dough, and pinch another section until the levain and liquid are adequately distributed throughout the dough.
- Cover the bowl and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Stretch and Folds | Strengthen the Gluten
- Grab the edge of the dough and lift it straight up before folding it over onto itself. Turn the bowl a quarter turn, and repeat, working your way around the sides of the bowl.
- Initially, the dough will be loose, but after 10-15 folds, the dough begins to come together. Continue to stretch and fold the dough until the dough becomes resistant. This completes one set of stretch and folds. Cover the bowl and rest for 30 minutes
- Continue stretching and folding the dough for a total of 4 sets with 30 minute intervals.
- On the second set of stretch and folds, add half of the grated butter over the top of the dough. Using the same stretch and fold method, incorporate the butter into the dough. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
- Add the remaining grated butter to the dough on the third set of stretch and folds. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
- By the fourth and final set of stretch and folds, the dough will be elastic and smooth, with the grated butter distributed throughout the dough.
Bulk Ferment
- After the stretch and folds are completed, cover the bowl and let it rest at room temperature to bulk ferment. The dough is done fermenting when you see plenty of air bubbles beneath the surface, the dough has almost doubled in size, and the edge of the dough where it meets the bowl domes down slightly.Because the dough is heavier than a traditional sourdough bread dough with the added butter, the total bulk fermentation time may be longer than normal. Keep an eye on the dough's temperature to make sure the butter doesn't soften too much. Aim to keep the dough at 70°F/21°C. Place the bowl into the refrigerator to cool the dough temperature as needed.
Preshape
- Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Using a bench scraper and one hand, rotate the dough while pushing the dough under with the bench scraper, into a boule shape.
Bench Rest
- Let the preshaped dough rest on the counter for 30 minutes uncovered. It's normal for the dough to flatten a bit as it rests. This allows the gluten to relax a bit before its final shaping.
Shape
- Prepare your banneton by dusting it with a bit of rice flour to prevent the dough from sticking.
- Fold the bottom of the dough up to the middle and gently press it into the dough.
- Pull the right side of the dough out a bit to stretch it before folding it over the middle of the dough. Repeat with the left side of the dough.
- Starting from the bottom of the dough ball, roll the dough onto itself until it forms a ball. Cup the far side of the dough with both hands, and pull towards you, tightening the dough's surface.
- Use a bench scraper to lift the folded dough into the prepared banneton, with the seam side up. Pinch the seams together.
Cold Proof
- Place the banneton into a plastic bag and refrigerate for 8-24 hours. I like to do this step overnight.You can skip the overnight cold proof and bake the bread the same day. Let the dough rise in the proofing basket inside a large plastic bag for a few hours or until the dough is airy and jiggles a bit. After the dough is done proofing, place it into the refrigerator while preheating the oven to let the butter cool a bit before baking. Cold dough prevents butter from leaking out and is easier to score.
Preheat the Oven
- The next morning, preheat the oven to 450°F/232°C with a Dutch oven in the middle of the oven for 30 minutes.
Score and Bake
- Turn out the chilled dough onto a piece of parchment paper. Score the top of the loaf roughly 1 inch deep with a lame or a sharp knife.
- Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven from the oven and lift the bread using the parchment paper as handles, into the Dutch oven. Replace the lid and place back into the oven.
- Lower the temperature to 425°F/218°C and bake with the lid on for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for 10-15 minutes.
Storage
- Like most baked goods, they're best the day they're baked. Allow the bread to cool completely. Store bread in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Notes
Do you have to use a levain in this recipe?
No, but if you have a well-maintained and frequently refreshed starter, you can substitute 125 g of active sourdough starter for the levain in the recipe.
Other recipe notes:
- Combining the flour and water before adding the salt and sourdough starter gives the flour time to hydrate. In addition, the enzymes are released to make the sugars more available once the starter is added, giving the gluten a chance to begin developing before weighing the dough down with butter.
- It's important that the dough maintains a temperature of 70°-72°F/21°-22°C. Similar to making other pastry dough, like rough puff pastry or croissants, it's important that the layers of butter stay cool to prevent too much butter leakage during the bake time. Take the temperature using a digital thermometer to monitor the dough temp. Place the bowl in the fridge for 10 minutes to cool the dough down if it starts to get too warm.
Tips
- Be sure to use parchment paper, as a little butter may leak out into the Dutch oven.
- The added weight of the butter will slow fermentation compared to a traditional loaf of sourdough bread, so don't be alarmed when it takes longer than usual.
Nutrition
Calories: 350.8kcalCarbohydrates: 50.3gProtein: 8.3gFat: 12.6gSaturated Fat: 7.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.9gMonounsaturated Fat: 3.1gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 30.4mgSodium: 487.7mgPotassium: 71.6mgFiber: 1.7gSugar: 0.2gVitamin A: 354.2IUCalcium: 14mgIron: 0.8mg
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