Sourdough Croissants

STARTER

1. In the morning, feed your starter by combing the starter, flour, and water in a bowl and mixing it until well combined. Tip it into a clean jar or glass and let it double or triple.

THE DOUGH

1. Prepare the dough by mixing together all the dough ingredients and using your hands to form a sticky dough ball. Knead the dough on the bench for 5-8 minutes until you create a smooth ball.

2. Cover the dough in a greased bowl, covered with a damp towel. Leave the dough out for 3 hours to ferment, ideally at room temperature between 23-25°C/74-77°F. If your room is cooler than this, leave it for 4 hours. The dough should be puffier after the ferment.

3. Place the covered bowl in the fridge overnight.

LAMINATING

1. In the morning, mix 1 1/2 tablespoons flour and 250g butter. Spoon the mix onto parchment paper and place another sheet on top. Roll the butter into a rectangle of about 15 x 20cm (6 x 8 inches). Place the butter in the fridge for around 10 minutes so it is cool. Ensure it is cold but still pliable. Aim for the butter and the dough to be similar in consistency.

2. Take the dough from the fridge and, on a floured bench, roll it into a 20x40cm(8x16 inch) rectangle.

3. Once the butter is cool again, place it in the middle of the dough. Bring the top of the dough down and the bottom of the dough up to meet in the middle, and tuck in the butter.

FOLD 1

1. Turn the dough a quarter turn. Use a rolling pin to gently push on the dough to help disperse the butter. Roll this dough out into a 25x50cm (10x20inch) rectangle, and focus on lengthening the dough rather than making it wider. While rolling, dust the dough with flour to stop it sticking to the bench.

2. Brush away the excess flour from the dough. Fold the dough like a pamphlet by bringing the top third down to the middle, and the bottom third up overtop.

3. Wrap the dough up (I use the baking paper I used for the butter) and let the dough rest in the fridge for 30 minutes. *If your kitchen is colder, the dough can rest on the bench. However, it is important not to let the butter melt or warm up.

FOLD 2

1. Turn the chilled dough 90 degrees and roll it out in front of you into a 25x50cm (10x20 inch) rectangle. At this point, you can cut off any scraggly edges, which will help give you more even layers later. Repeat the folding process. Place it back in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.

FOLD 3

1. Repeat this step once more. After this fold, chill the dough for at least 2 hours.

SHAPING

1. Roll the chilled dough into a 28x60cm (11x24 inch) rectangle on a floured bench.

2. Mark 5cm (2 inches) 3 inch marks along both lengths of the dough rectangle. Use a pizza cutter or large knife to cut triangles that connect the marks from the top to the bottom. Using a ruler can help keep your lines straight.

3. Make a little cut at the bottom of each triangle and stretch it out. Then, roll the triangles up tightly, starting from the bottom and rolling to the tip. You can bed the ends of croissants a little to make a crescent or leave them straight

4. Leave the rolled croissants to proof on parchment paper-lined trays for around 4-5 hours 9 hours at a temperature between 23-25°C/74-77°F. They should become puffy and jiggle when the tray is gently shaken. The layers in the croissant should be visible.

5. You can brush the croissants with a bit of water to stop them from drying out or create a humid and warm spot by placing them in a cold oven next to a cup of hot water. Ensure the butter in the croissants doesn't melt or it will ruin the layers. Don’t place the cup of hot water underneath the tray of croissants, or it’ll make the bottom of the tray too warm.

BAKING

1. The croissants can be baked once they have puffed out or refrigerated if you want to bake them in the morning. The extended fridge time will increase the sour flavor.

2. Preheat the oven to 205°C/400°F.

3. Mix the egg and water together in a small bowl. Use a pastry brush to brush the croissants with egg wash.

4. Bake the croissants for around 20 minutes until deeply browned.

STORING

1. Croissants are great served fresh on the day they are baked. The layers in the croissants will be most prominent if the croissant has cooled down to room temperature before slicing.