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Antonio crossiant course vol 1
Hi
when i put butter in the dough and then roll it out my butter starts coming out from the sides and also my dough starts tearing apart . I am using 13% protein flour . Also i feel they are not proofing enough. When baked they are too hard on the outside. And inside very dense honeycomb.
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1 Reply
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Hi Umama Nasir.
I understand your concerns, so let’s analyze what might be happening:
Type of Flour:
The course recommends using flour with 12-13% protein, but it’s also important that it has an adequate elasticity index (PL between 0.4 and 0.7), as specified in the recipe. This ensures the dough is sufficiently extensible without tearing, which is essential for laminating. If you’re using flour with a higher PL, the dough can become too stiff or fragile during the rolling process.
Butter Leaking Out from the Sides:
This can happen because:
▪️The dough and butter are not at the same temperature. It is crucial that both are cold yet pliable to prevent the butter from melting or breaking. The dough should be between 16-18 °C, while the butter should be cold but flexible, meaning it can bend without cracking. The ideal temperature for butter is 14-16 °C.
▪️If the butter is too cold, it may crack inside the dough. To prevent the butter from leaking, you can also:
-Mix the butter with a small amount of flour to create a beurre manié that absorbs the butter’s moisture.
-Use flour with 12% protein.
To ensure the butter layers remain separate from the dough and don’t affect the croissant’s structure, it’s crucial for the dough and butter to be at the same temperature. If the dough gets too warm, it can be chilled between folds.
▪️The pressure during rolling may be too strong, causing the butter to leak. Try applying pressure evenly and gradually.
Insufficient Proofing:
If the croissants are not proofed enough, they will turn out dense and won’t develop the characteristic honeycomb crumb. Make sure to give them enough time to proof properly (until the dough is puffy and light to the touch, but not over-proofed).
Brioche-Like Appearance:
In the photo, the dough resembles brioche more than a laminated croissant. This can be caused by:
▪️Laminating Issues: If the butter layers do not remain intact due to dough tearing or butter leaking, the characteristic flaky layers will not form.
▪️Excessive Initial Kneading: Over-kneading can develop too much gluten, making the dough less flexible and causing it to absorb some of the butter during laminating.
▪️Baking Temperature: If the oven isn’t hot enough, the layers won’t expand properly, resulting in a denser croissant.
Suggestions:
-Ensure your flour meets the recommended PL (0.4-0.7).
-Make sure to chill the dough and butter thoroughly before and during laminating. Take breaks to refrigerate if necessary.
-Handle the dough gently during laminating to avoid tearing.
-Allow enough time for the final proofing in a warm but not overly humid environment.
-Bake at the temperature specified in the recipe.
I hope these recommendations help you improve your results.
Best regards.
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