Laminated Doughs

Croissant, danish and puff pastry doughs are all laminated (layered) doughs. The doughmaking process is spread over 3 days: on day 1 a biga (starter) is made and allowed to ferment overnight; on day 2 this pre-ferment is mixed into the doughs which are then refrigerated and also allowed to ferment overnight. This fermentation process creates flavor in the dough that complements and intensifies the flavor of the butter in the finished product. On day 3 the doughs are divided and laminated and individual products are shaped and baked.

Laminating is accomplished in our croissant and danish doughs by encasing a 3/4" x 12" x 14" block of butter in dough creating 3 layers, 2 of dough and 1 of butter. This is then rolled out and folded several times creating a total of 81 alternating layers of butter and dough. The key to success in this process is maintaining the integrity of each layer. If the lamination is successful and the layers are maintained the product will be light and flaky.

The leavening in laminated doughs is derived mainly from the steam generated by the moisture in the butter during baking. As the steam expands in the oven it lifts and separates the individual layers. While croissant and danish doughs do contain a small amount of yeast to aid in leavening, puff pastry relies solely on steam and requires a higher percentage of butter and a more elaborate folding process that creates nearly 800 layers.

There are other factors that affect the success of the lamination. The dough must have a well-developed gluten structure to be able to support the expansion in the oven. The fat must be rolled evenly in continuous layers. To accomplish this the butter must be in a "plastic" state when laminating. That is, able to be rolled out easily without breaking into pieces (not too cold) but firm enough that it won't squeeze out of the edges of the dough layers or allow moisture to seep into the dough (not too warm). The butter and dough should be at approximately the same temperature, and the layers of each must remain distinct from each other or the product will resemble brioche more than delicately layered and flaky laminated dough.

Allowing the dough to rest between turns allows the gluten structure to relax, making the dough more extensible and less likely to tear. Puff pastry, lacking yeast and its dough conditioning benefits, is more susceptible to tears and shrinkage during baking. Since it is also laminated to a further degree, the rests between turns are even more critical to ensure extensibility. If any of these doughs are overworked without being allowed to rest, the gluten structure will tear, the dough will become tough and the finished product won't have the desired volume or texture.