Sourdough Croissant Bread (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Levain (1:10:10 ratio, 10-12 hours peak at 78-80ºF)

01 - 6 grams sourdough starter, ripe, bubbly and active (about 1 teaspoon)
02 - 60 grams all-purpose or bread flour (about 1/2 cup)
03 - 60 grams water (about 1/4 cup)

→ Sourdough Croissant Bread

04 - 120 grams levain, ripe, bubbly and active (about ½ cup)
05 - 340 grams water (about 1 cup plus 6 Tablespoons)
06 - 10 grams salt (about 1 1/2 teaspoons)
07 - 500 grams bread flour (about 3 1/2 cups)
08 - 113 grams unsalted butter (about 1/2 cup)

# Instructions:

01 - Mix together ripe/active sourdough starter with all-purpose or bread flour and water. Cover loosely and let sit 10-12 hours at 78-80°F until doubled, bubbly & peaked. Note: If you have a ripe, bubbly, active sourdough starter that is fed equal parts flour and water – it can be substituted equally for the levain in this recipe.
02 - To a large bowl, mix together ripe levain with water. Add salt and bread flour. Mix together using a dough whisk or spoon until a wet and sticky dough forms and the ingredients are fully combined. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes. Note: This dough is very sensitive to temperature. It's important to maintain a temperature where the dough will rise AND the butter stays chilled and flaky. I've found a 70-72ºF temperature to work well.
03 - After 30 minutes, perform your first set of stretch and folds. To do this, wet your hand, reach around the dough down to the bottom of the bowl, pull the dough up and over and place it on top. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat the stretch and fold. Continue until you've gone around the bowl. Cover the dough and let rest for 30 minutes.
04 - After 30 minutes, grate the cold butter. Put half of the grated butter on top of the dough. The other half of the butter should be placed in the refrigerator to chill until the next set of folds. Stretch and fold the dough again, incorporating the flakes of butter into the dough. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
05 - 30 minutes later, add the rest of the butter to the top of the dough. Stretch and fold again. The butter will continue dispersing throughout the dough. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
06 - After 30 minutes do your final set of stretch and folds. You should notice the dough feeling more cohesive and strong. If your dough still feels loose, add in another couple stretch and folds to help strengthen and tighten the gluten strands.
07 - Cover the dough and let rise for 6-7 more hours. You will know the dough is ready to shape when the dough has risen about 70%, jiggles when you shake the bowl and has scattered bubbles visible on the sides and top. Note: This is different than traditional sourdough because we are working at lower temperatures to keep the butter colder.
08 - Tip the bowl upside down, allowing the dough to fall onto a clean counter surface. Be gentle to avoid degassing the dough as much as possible. Wet your hands and the bench knife if needed and push the bench knife under the dough on one side and your free hand on the other side to tuck the dough under itself. The goal is to introduce some tension into the dough. Repeat this process, going around in a circle until you have a ball of dough.
09 - Let the dough rest uncovered for about 30 minutes at room temperature. The dough will flatten a little as it sits. This allows the gluten in the dough to relax and prepares the dough to be shaped.
10 - Prepare a bowl or banneton. Place a kitchen towel or hair net in the bowl and liberally flour as needed. Sprinkle a little flour on top of the dough. Using a bench knife, lift the dough up off the counter and place it on top of the countertop – floured side down. Going around in a circle, pull the dough sideways towards you and then fold up to the top of the round. Move 90 degrees and repeat the same process pulling the dough sideways and then folding up to the top. As you continue this process around the dough, increase the tension as you pull. Gather the bread into a circle and place into a lined bowl.
11 - Cover the dough with the tea towel/shower cap/plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or up to 12-18 hours. If you want to bake the same day, you can let the dough rise for about 2-3 hours until puffed up and risen. Chill the loaf in the refrigerator for an hour or two - or stick in the freezer for 15-20 minutes to chill the butter in the dough before baking.
12 - Put a Dutch oven (top and all) into the oven and preheat to 450°F for 20 minutes. Once preheated for 20 minutes, pull the loaf out of the refrigerator. Remove the covering. Place a piece of parchment paper on top of the dough. Flip the dough over so it is now sitting on the parchment paper. Take off the bowl/banneton and the kitchen towel.
13 - Use a very sharp knife or bread lame to score the dough. Take the bread lame and score on one side of the dough, at a shallow angle about 30º and 1 inch deep. Score straight from the refrigerator on the cold dough for best results.
14 - Carefully remove the Dutch oven from the 450°F oven. Take the lid off and place your bread into the Dutch oven (including parchment paper). Put the lid on and put back in the oven. Lower the temperature to 425°F and bake for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, take the lid off the Dutch oven and continue baking for 20 minutes until the bread is baked through and reaches 195-200ºF temperature. Remove the Dutch oven and let the bread cool on a baking rack.

# Notes:

01 - This dough is very sensitive to temperature because you are trying to accomplish two things - keeping the butter in flaky chunks AND a temperature where the sourdough will rise well. I've found a 70-72ºF temperature to work best.
02 - Equal weights of ripe, bubbly, active sourdough starter can be substituted for levain in this recipe.
03 - Butter will leak out of the dough as it bakes at these high temperatures. It gives a buttery, crispy crust that is delicious - make sure you use parchment paper on the bottom of the pot so it doesn't make a mess everywhere.
04 - If you want to add chocolate chips to this loaf, add 200 grams of chocolate chips to the top of the dough right before the 4th stretch and fold. Stretch and fold the chocolate chips into the dough.

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