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Sourdough Croissant Bread Recipe

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4.3 from 4 reviews

  • Author: Sara
  • Total Time: 25 hours 30 minutes
  • Yield: 12 servings

Description

This Sourdough Croissant Bread recipe combines the flaky, buttery layers of a croissant with the tangy depth of sourdough, creating a unique and delicious artisan bread. The dough undergoes an extended fermentation with multiple stretch and folds to incorporate cold butter evenly, resulting in a tender crumb with a beautifully crisp and buttery crust. Ideal for bread lovers looking to elevate their sourdough baking with a rich, pastry-like twist.

Ingredients

Levain

  • 6 grams sourdough starter, ripe, bubbly and active (about 1 teaspoon)
  • 60 grams all-purpose or bread flour (about 1/2 cup)
  • 60 grams water (about 1/4 cup)

Dough

  • 120 grams levain, ripe, bubbly and active (about 1/2 cup, see recipe notes)
  • 340 grams water (about 1 cup plus 6 tablespoons)
  • 10 grams salt (about 1 1/2 teaspoons)
  • 500 grams bread flour (about 3 1/2 cups)
  • 113 grams unsalted butter, cold (about 1/2 cup)

Instructions

  1. Prepare Levain: Mix the ripe and active sourdough starter with flour and water. Cover loosely and let it ferment at 78-80ºF for 10-12 hours until it doubles, becomes bubbly, and peaks. This levain will be used to build the dough.
  2. Mix Dough: In a large bowl, combine the ripe levain with water. Add salt and bread flour, mixing with a dough whisk or spoon to form a wet, sticky dough. Cover and let it rest for 30 minutes. Maintain a temperature of 70-72ºF to ensure proper fermentation and keep the butter cold.
  3. Stretch and Fold Series: Perform a series of stretch and folds over 1 1/2 hours to develop gluten and incorporate butter. Wet your hand to prevent sticking, pull the dough from the bowl bottom over itself, turn the bowl a quarter turn, and repeat. Rest 30 minutes between folds.
  4. Stretch and Fold #1: After the initial rest, perform the first stretch and fold, cover, and rest 30 minutes.
  5. Add Butter and Fold #2: Grate the cold butter. Place half on top of the dough, keep the rest cold in the refrigerator. Perform the second stretch and fold to incorporate butter, cover, and rest 30 minutes.
  6. Add Remaining Butter and Fold #3: Add the remaining butter on top, perform the third stretch and fold, cover, and rest 30 minutes.
  7. Final Fold #4: Perform the last set of stretch and folds, ensuring the dough feels cohesive and strong. If needed, do additional folds to strengthen the gluten. Cover and let the dough rise for 6-7 hours at 70-72ºF until it increases about 70% in volume, jiggles when shaken, and has visible bubbles.
  8. Pre-shape: Turn the dough onto a clean counter gently to avoid degassing. Using wet hands and a bench knife, tuck the edges under to form a round with surface tension.
  9. Bench Rest: Let the dough rest uncovered at room temperature for 30 minutes to relax the gluten and slightly flatten.
  10. Shape: Prepare a floured bowl or banneton lined with a kitchen towel or hair net with flour. Lightly flour the dough surface, lift and place it onto the counter flour-side down. Pull the dough sideways gently while folding it up, working all around to create tension. Form into a round and place seam-side up in the prepared bowl.
  11. Cold Fermentation: Cover the dough and refrigerate overnight or up to 12-18 hours. Alternatively, for same-day baking, allow it to rise 2-3 hours until puffed, then chill for 1-2 hours or freeze for 15-20 minutes to firm the butter before baking.
  12. Preheat Oven and Dutch Oven: Preheat your oven to 450°F with a Dutch oven (lid on) inside for 20 minutes to get it thoroughly hot.
  13. Prepare for Baking: Remove dough from refrigerator, place parchment paper on top, flip the dough onto the parchment paper so the floured side is down, remove the banneton and towel.
  14. Score: Using a sharp knife or bread lame, score the dough at a 30º angle about 1 inch deep while cold. This allows controlled expansion during baking.
  15. Bake: Remove the Dutch oven from the oven carefully, take off the lid, place the dough with parchment paper into it, cover with the lid, and bake at 425°F for 25 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for another 20 minutes until the bread’s internal temperature reaches 195-200ºF and it achieves a crispy, browned crust. Let cool completely on a rack before slicing and serving.

Notes

  • The dough temperature is crucial to keep butter cold and flaky while allowing fermentation; maintain 70-72ºF and do not exceed 75ºF.
  • If you have a ripe, bubbly starter fed at equal parts flour and water, it can be substituted equally for the levain.
  • Use parchment paper inside the Dutch oven to prevent butter leakage from making a mess.
  • Butter leaking out during baking contributes to the bread’s crispy and buttery crust.
  • If the dough feels loose after the final fold, perform additional stretch and folds for better gluten development.
  • Using a hair net instead of a kitchen towel helps prevent sticking during cold proofing.
  • Cold fermentation enhances flavor and texture but same-day baking is possible with adjustments.
  • Prep Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Category: Bread
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: French-inspired Artisan

Find it online: https://saraflavors.com/sourdough-croissant-bread-recipe/