Flaky and Buttery Sourdough Croissants with Laminate Layers Recipe

Introduction

Flaky and buttery, these sourdough croissants are a labor of love that transport you straight to a Parisian café with every bite. Using an active sourdough starter adds a delicate tang and depth of flavor to this classic pastry. Though the process takes time, the results are truly worth the effort for home bakers ready to impress.

Ingredients

• 150 grams active sourdough starter
• 113 grams filtered water
• 113 grams whole milk
• 50 grams butter, melted
• 450 grams organic unbleached all-purpose flour
• 45 grams granulated sugar
• 9 grams sea salt
• 250 grams unsalted butter, room temperature (for butter filling)

Instructions

1. Step 1: Prepare your active sourdough starter by feeding it equal parts flour and water 4-6 hours before beginning. It should be bubbly and doubled in size.
2. Step 2: In a bowl, whisk together the sourdough starter, melted butter, water, and milk. Add flour, sugar, and salt, mixing until a dough forms. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
3. Step 3: Turn the dough onto a clean surface and knead for 3-5 minutes until smooth and no longer sticky. Place in a butter-greased bowl, cover, and let rise at room temperature until doubled, about 4-6 hours.
4. Step 4: Refrigerate the dough for at least 12 hours, up to 3 days, keeping it covered to avoid drying out.
5. Step 5: To prepare the butter filling (beurrage), slice the room temperature butter about 1/4″ thick and arrange on folded parchment paper to form an 8×8″ square. Enclose and roll the butter until evenly packed. Chill for 6 minutes until pliable.
6. Step 6: Remove the dough from the fridge and roll it into an 8×17″ rectangle on a floured surface. Place the beurrage on the bottom half, fold the top half over the butter, sealing the edges.
7. Step 7: Rotate the dough 90 degrees and roll it out to 18″ long. Fold the top third down, then fold the bottom third up, folding in half to create layers. Wrap and chill if needed.
8. Step 8: Roll the dough 90 degrees again and roll it out to about 20″ long. Fold the top two-thirds down, then fold the bottom up over it, like a pamphlet. Chill if the butter begins to soften.
9. Step 9: Roll out the dough one final time to roughly 8×24″. Trim edges straight, then mark and cut the dough into triangles using a zig-zag pattern between the marks.
10. Step 10: Roll each triangle into a croissant, starting from the wide end, tucking the point underneath. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet with the point touching the pan.
11. Step 11: Whisk an egg and brush the croissants to prevent drying during proofing. Cover and proof in a draft-free area for 2-4 hours until doubled in size.
12. Step 12: Preheat oven to 380°F. Apply a second egg wash to the croissants and bake for 25-30 minutes until deep golden brown.
13. Step 13: Let croissants rest on the baking sheet for 15 minutes before serving. This allows residual butter to absorb back in, ensuring flaky layers.

Tips & Variations

• Ensure your butter filling is pliable but not too soft to avoid breaking during lamination.
• Keep your work surface well floured to prevent dough sticking and tearing.
• If the dough or butter warms too much, chill for 10 minutes to maintain ideal consistency.
• For a morning treat, shape and proof croissants the night before and refrigerate covered overnight before baking fresh in the morning.
• You can freeze formed croissants after proofing; bake from frozen by adding 2-3 extra minutes to the baking time.

Storage

Store baked croissants in an airtight container or wrapped in foil at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze for up to 1 month. When reheating, warm them in a 300°F oven for 5-10 minutes to restore flakiness.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use all-purpose flour instead of organic?

Yes, regular all-purpose flour works well, but organic unbleached helps with flavor and dough strength.

How do I know if my sourdough starter is active enough?

An active starter should be bubbly and have doubled in size within 4-6 hours of feeding. It will have a pleasant sour aroma and be ready to use in baking.

Flaky and Buttery Sourdough Croissants with Laminate Layers Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 508 reviews

• Author: Naomi
• Total Time: 1 day 1 hour 25 minutes
• Yield: 10–12 croissants 1x

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Description

Flakey and buttery sourdough croissants made using an active sourdough starter, crafted through a meticulous process of dough fermentation, lamination, and folding to develop perfect flaky layers. This recipe yields 10-12 croissants and offers a rich, artisan flavor reminiscent of authentic Parisian bakery croissants.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Sourdough Starter Mixture

• 150 grams active sourdough starter
• 113 grams filtered water
• 113 grams whole milk
• 50 grams butter, melted

Dough

• 450 grams organic unbleached all-purpose flour
• 45 grams granulated sugar
• 9 grams sea salt

Butter Filling (Le Beurrage)

• 250 grams unsalted butter, room temperature

Other

• 1 egg (for egg wash)

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Instructions

1. Feed your Sourdough Starter: Ensure you have 150 grams of active, mature sourdough starter that has been fed equal parts flour and water 4-6 hours before use, and is bubbly and doubled in size. If setting aside starter, mix 50g starter, 50g flour, and 50g water.
2. Make, Knead and Proof the Dough: In a bowl, whisk together the active starter, melted butter, water, and milk. Add flour, sugar, and salt, and mix until a dough forms. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes. Knead dough on a clean surface for 3-5 minutes until smooth and non-sticky. Place in butter-greased bowl, cover, and bulk rise at room temperature for 4-6 hours until doubled. Then refrigerate for a minimum of 12 hours (up to 3 days) for slow fermentation.
3. Prepare the Butter Filling (Le Beurrage): Fold parchment paper into an 8×8″ square packet. Slice room temperature butter into 1/4″ thickness and arrange on parchment, then fold and roll into a packet. Chill in the refrigerator for about 6 minutes until pliable but not hard.
4. Lamination – First Roll and Fold: Roll out the chilled dough on a floured surface into an 8×17″ rectangle. Place the butter packet on the bottom half of the dough and fold top half over to cover it. Rotate 90 degrees and roll out to approximately 18″ long, maintaining proper flouring to prevent sticking.
5. Second Fold: Fold the top third of the dough down about 3/4 of the way, then fold the bottom part up to meet the top fold forming roughly a square. Rotate dough 90 degrees and roll out lengthwise to about 20″ long, focusing on elongation.
6. Third and Final Fold: Fold the top two-thirds down and bring the bottom portion all the way up over this fold, like a pamphlet. Optionally chill for 10 minutes if dough or butter softens. Then rotate 90 degrees and roll out the final rectangle to approximately 8×24″.
7. Shape the Croissants: Trim the edges to straight lines. Mark small points every 3 1/2 inches on the long side, with middle marks on the opposite side. Cut the dough in zig-zag connecting these marks to form triangles. Roll each triangle from the wide base to the point to form croissants. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet with the pointed end underneath to prevent unrolling.
8. Proof the Croissants: Whisk an egg and brush a light egg wash over croissants to prevent drying. Cover and let proof in a draft-free spot (like a cool oven) for 2-4 hours until doubled in size.
9. Bake: Preheat oven to 380℉ (193℃). Brush croissants with egg wash again. Bake for 25-30 minutes until deep golden brown. Remove from oven and cool on baking sheet for 15 minutes undisturbed to allow butter to reabsorb and layers to set.
10. Enjoy: Serve fresh and enjoy the rich, flakey, buttery sourdough croissants reminiscent of a Parisian café.

Notes

• You can refrigerate baked croissants covered with plastic wrap overnight for fresh croissants the next morning.
• Croissants can be frozen after proofing; bake directly from frozen by adding 2-3 extra minutes to baking time.
• Maintaining appropriate dough and butter temperature during lamination is critical to prevent butter melting and ensure flaky layers.
• Use high-quality unsalted butter at room temperature for best lamination results.
• Keep work surfaces well floured to avoid dough sticking or tearing during rolling and folding.

• Prep Time: 1 hour
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Category: Baking
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: French

Keywords: sourdough croissants, croissant recipe, sourdough starter, laminated dough, French pastry, homemade croissants, flaky croissants