Croissant proofing and baking

[Sussan Estela Olaya]

Hi Petya.

Welcome to the Scoolinary community! Thank you for your question.

Here are the answers to your questions:

Why do we need 80% humidity during croissant fermentation?

High humidity (around 75-80%) is crucial during fermentation because:

Prevents the dough’s surface from drying out, allowing the croissants to expand properly without forming a tough outer layer.

Promotes yeast activity, helping the dough become light and airy.

Maintains the butter layers, preventing it from melting too soon, which is key to achieving good lamination.

If the humidity is too low, the surface of the croissant can form a crust, hindering proper expansion and affecting the final texture.

Why does so much butter leak from croissants during baking?

Excess butter leakage can be due to several factors:

Overproofing: If the croissants ferment for too long, the dough structure weakens and cannot hold the butter properly.

Poor-quality or overly soft butter: Butter with low fat content or butter that isn’t well incorporated into the layers can melt too quickly and leak out.

Incorrect baking temperature: If the oven is not properly preheated or hot enough from the start, the butter melts before the dough has a chance to expand properly.

If we lower the baking temperature to 160°C and increase the baking time, will that work?

Lowering the temperature to 160°C and increasing the time may result in croissants that are less golden and drier. Chef Antonio Bachour recommends baking at 170°C for 18 minutes, which provides a good balance for a crisp crust and well-developed interior.

If you notice excessive butter leakage, you could try starting with a higher temperature (180-185°C for about 4-6 minutes) and then lowering it to 170°C for the remainder of the baking time. This helps set the croissant structure quickly without losing too much butter.

Have you noticed if your croissants rise well before baking? What type of butter are you using?

We hope this information helps.

Best regards!

[Petya Tsankova]

Hi I use butter with 82 persent fat block special made for croissants lamination. I proofing the croissant in proofing chamber at 28 degrees with 80 persent humidity, and I bake in combi oven at 170 for 18 minutes but still there is to much butter out.

[Sussan Estela Olaya]

Hi Petya.

Welcome to the Scoolinary community! Thanks for your question.

Here are a couple of recommendations that might help:

1. Fermentation: Make sure the butter and dough are at the same temperature before you start laminating. If the butter is too soft, it can leak out more easily. Try keeping the butter at around 14-16°C and the dough slightly cooler.

2. Baking: Start with a higher initial temperature, around 180-185°C for the first 5 minutes, then lower it to 170°C for the remaining time. This helps seal the dough quickly and prevents too much butter from leaking out.

If you’re experiencing excessive butter leakage, you can try slightly increasing the initial baking temperature, but the key is still ensuring the butter and dough are at the same temperature before baking.

I hope these adjustments help you achieve better croissants.

Best regards!