Sourdough Croissants

Buttery, crispy, a little doughy & any filling you can imagine. Currently you can find me baking up all sorts of treats just so I can cosy up on the couch with a coffee and something yummy to see out this pandemic.

I've had so many people ask for my recipes and I'd so much rather give out recipes in my own words with my notes. So, here we are. I fully intend on giving credit to where I found recipes or inspiration. I tend to read lots of different recipes and mash them together to create what seems right to me. I make it a few days in a row and tweak it. I'm by no means precise, nor pro, but I am adventurous and willing to share! I'm excited to share what I've learnt and how to create the yummiest sourdough treats right in your kitchen with things you probably already have in your cupboard. Praise the Lord for that! Ain't nobody wanna brace the shops these days!

My current favourites are *drum rool* sourdough croissants, drooooooool. These are simple, decadent, straight forward and best of all? They taste like Switzerland! I never imagined I could make something like this with my own two hands. I've been dying to share this with you. It would make my day to see you try something that freaks you out and that you never thought you'd do. We've gotta made lemonade outta this pandemic, right?

Also, for my gluten free friends, if you can tolerate sourdough, how good to finally get your hands on a flaky, dense croissants you've been missing out on, right?!

I do owe a lot of this recipe:
https://homegrownhappiness.co.nz/easy-sourdough-croissants/?fbclid=IwAR0Wi4FN5Ib9gn2_qudNLFCbnMlUhK4U7r9ESssmvN5WhA77ggKkQu2d1Pc
Check her out, she is amazing!

I'm going to add times next to steps based on how I fit it into my day with little kids and naps. This is the easiest way I've found to do it! My biggest tip is don't mess with proof times. Try your best to keep to them as this allows enough time for the dough to rise, ferment and mix with the butter for the flakiest croissants of your life.

Sourdough Croissants:

Ingredients
Dough:
150g Active Sourdough Starter
450 g all purpose, unbleached flour
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp sugar
250ml cold water
50g room temperature butter

Butter Roll:
250g softened butter
1 heaped tbsp flour

Egg Wash:
1 egg
1 tbsp water

Step 1: 9am - Prepare Dough:

• Mix all dough ingredients together
• Once well mixed, turn out onto floury surface (Tip: put a very thin layer of olive oil down before your flour - this helps with sticking) and knead for 5 minutes until dough is smooth and stretchy.
• Cover with damp tea towel on bench/counter and leave for 3 hours.

You can opt to do this the night before, let it proof on your bench/counter for 3 hours then store in the fridge overnight. I have read this doesn't change the end result, but I am yet to try it.

Step 2: 12pm - Rolling Rolling Rolling:

• Prepare Butter Roll:
• Mix butter and flour together 
• Roll between baking paper into a rectangle about half the size of an A4 piece of paper
• Pop in the fridge for 5-15 minutes to firm up. It is important you pay close attention to it! You want it to be a similar consistency to your dough. Too hard or too soft and it won't incorporate into the dough properly. You want it to be malleable, but firm.
• Roll out dough to double the size of the butter.
• Place butter on one end and fold the other end over it, tucking any edges in.
• Roll into a long rectangle, taking care to keep the shape as this will make the rest of the process easier. 
• Fold dough into three by bringing each end into the middle like a business letter.
• Let dough sit 10-30 minutes.
• Starting at a different angle, repeat this folding step. You will do it three times in total.
• Chill dough for 3 hours

Step 3: 4pm - Roll, Cut & Shape:

• Get dough out of fridge and roll into a large rectangle, roughly 30cm / 12in by  60cm / 23in. This will take some muscle and speed. Be patient with it. If it resists, let it sit for 5 minutes or so and come back. 
• Cut into long triangles. For a smaller pastry cut about 10cm / 3.5in by 25cm / 9in. 
• If you want to stuff them, do so here. I love using ham & cheese, nutella, almonds or melted chocolate chips. Mmmmm.
• Roll them up tightly starting with the long edge, ending with the tip.
• Pop onto a baking tray, cover with a damp tea towel and let sit at room temperature (cooler rather than warmer) for 5 hours. 
• Proof overnight in the fridge.

Step 4: 7am - Egg Wash & Bake:

• Preheat oven to 420 f / 215 c
• Remove croissants from fridge and let sit to bring them back to room temp while oven heats
• Brush with egg wash
• Bake 25-30 minutes for smaller croissants, 35-40 for larger & stuffed croissants. This will take tweaking depending on your desired size and your oven. Watch them closely. Nobody likes a burnt croissant!

Goodness, are you droooooling yet?! Next step is to enjoy every tasty morsel, while hot preferably!! Or drop them on a mate's door to make them smile so huge!

A side note, my stuffed croissants looked like they weren't quite cooked in the middle after I did the first time, but they tasted incredible! I threw them back in for another 10, but honestly, I'd rather a doughy inside them compromise the flaky exterior, amiright?!

Next, I'm going to make almond flaked croissants like my favourite cafe back home in Australia. Gosh, I can't wait.

Enjoy guys! Tag me on IG @__heidi.g with your creations & check out https://homegrownhappiness.co.nz/

Happy ISO Baking!

Love, 

Heidi & Co