Pro tip: I visited a bakery in Portland that uses a 70% hydration dough for their croissants and they came out way flakier than anything I've made at home.

The baker told me it's all about resting the dough overnight in the fridge before laminating, which lets the gluten relax enough to get those super thin layers, has anyone else tried pushing hydration that high in laminated dough?

2 comments

2 Comments

hugobarnes18d ago

Roll your eyes at 70% hydration like it's some kind of magic number. Honestly, I've tried pushing my dough to 75% and ended up with croissants that looked more like sad, greasy pancakes than anything flaky. The fridge rest does help, but don't let anyone tell you it's a cure-all for bad technique.

nancy82418d ago

Oh come on, is it really that deep? People act like 70% hydration is some kind of sacred cow but it's just a starting point. I've seen folks on here swear by 75% and then post photos of dough that looks like a science experiment gone wrong. The fridge rest is a nice trick but if your technique is off you're just making cold sad pancakes with extra steps. Maybe it's not the hydration percentage, maybe it's just that croissants are tricky and you need to chill out about it a little.