This month, we're "going off the rails on a crazy train, sir." If you hear that in a Megamind sidekick's voice, you get bonus points. I warned the Babes I might go off the deep end and very off script with this bake, but wouldn't say what I was going to try. I have laminated bread trauma. It refuses to be friends with me. So much leaky butter oil. Everybody cross your fingers, here we go. This journey really lent itself to Elizabeth's journal format of recipe documentation.
-----------A week later...
Wahhhhh, I don't want to laminate! Man, I really want this bread to turn out. But that laminating, it hates me. I did it in a class; it worked; it did not translate to success at home. They must be using magic butter. Even when I use the preferred high fat, European butter, it doesn't help. I wonder who sells magic ingredients. Maybe a new refrigerator...
Another week later...
How can I get past the butter breaking? Hmm. Wait... Wait... What if I skip the butter block altogether and laminate the dough with store bought puff pastry instead! It's already perfectly laminated with their cheaty, cheaty, sheeting machines. I wonder if that could work... My biggest concern would be over folding and losing layer cohesion. Hmm.
Welp, nothing to lose but time. I can always try again the original way if it fails. Let's go pick up some real butter puff from the grocer's. French toast casserole is a great way to use up bread fails anyway.
Okay, dough made, chilled, let's go. Foldy, foldy, turny, turny. Let's just do one book fold and one envelope fold, and then the final roll out; don't want to push our luck with over folding. Oh wow, (cutting to shape), look at the layers in the dough. Squeee! Oh man, I REALLY hope this turns out because it looks so promising!
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| Once I saw these layers, I was pretty sure it would work! |
Okay, moment of truth, let's bake this sucker. Please work, please work, please work! Peeks in the window half way through... Oh my gosh! It's working! Look at those layers! WOOHOOOOO!
Audio without crazy camera angles
WINNER! Oh, this is happy noise bread. Two thumbs up. Especially with marionberry jam. And the inside is soooo soft and light. Oh yum, scarumph. Hubby was very happy with it. I am prodigiously pleased with the bread, the experiment, and yes, myself. Trying not to wax too poetic, but the phrase, "with great risk, comes great reward" is floating through my brain. And I suppose with today's grocery prices, I can reasonably say there was indeed risk!
Maybe I'm up for a lamination rematch now! Maybe. Note: this bread makes nigh on divine grilled cheese, but you have to cook it at lower heat than normal bread because of all that lovely butter!
Are you a lamination pro? We would love to have you try out this wonderfully tasty bread with us this month and share how it turns out! There are both sourdough and yeast version from which to choose. I based mine off of Karen's yeast croissant bread dough. And if you're lamination averse like me, try out my lamination hack and be astounded! Check out our Facebook group to see the participants' baking results. If you would like to post your results with a Buddy badge on a blog, let us know in the comments or on the Facebook page.
Lamination Hacked Croissant Bread
makes one loaf
290g (~2⅓ cups) all purpose flour
33g (2tbsp + 2 tsp) granulated sugar
7g (2 tsp) instant yeast
5g (1¼ tsp) fine sea salt
35g (2½ tbsp + ½ tsp) room temperature butter
180g (½ cup + ⅓ cup) cold milk
Egg wash for the final loaf (egg plus milk or cream)
1 sheet good butter puff pastry, defrosted (Mine was 14oz, Dufour, purchased locally)*
In a stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, yeast, salt, butter, and milk on low for about three minutes. Increase the speed to medium and continue to mix for an additional three minutes. Form the dough into a ball, place into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
The next morning, on a lightly floured work surface, roll the chilled dough out into a rectangle that is taller by at least half on top and bottom, than the sheet of puff pastry, and about even with the sides. Place the sheet of puff over the dough and fold in the edges, stretching lightly, to encase the pastry. Pinch the center seam together to seal.
Fold ¼ of the open left side of the packet over itself to the center. Fold the open right side over to meet the left side at the center, and pinch seam. Then fold the entire packet in half so that you have four layers.
Thump the dough flatter with the rolling pin and roll out to about 10x15-inches, flipping occasionally. If there are any bubbles, poke them with a toothpick or knife tip to deflate. Fold the dough into thirds, like a letter that you would put into an envelope. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
Butter a 9x5-inch bread pan. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll it out into a 9x12-inch rectangle. Using a pizza wheel or kitchen scissors, cut the dough into 5 equal strips. Roll each up and place them seam side down into the bread pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, about 1½ - 2½ hours depending on the temperature of the dough and kitchen. Toward the end of the proofing time, heat the oven to 375ºF.
Before baking, whisk together an egg with milk and brush it over the top of the dough. Bake the loaf for 40 to 50 minutes, until the middle is 195ºF. If the top is browning too quickly, tent with foil while baking (check about half way through). Once the loaf is done, turn off the oven and prop the door open for about 15 minutes with the loaf still in the oven.
Remove the loaf from the oven and turn it out onto a wire rack and let fully cool before slicing.
Pat yourself on the back.
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| Trauma begone! |
*Okay, I specify "good" puff pastry, and what I mean is pastry made with minimal, quality ingredients as if you would make yourself. And definitely butter based. Here, take a look at the difference in ingredients between Dufour and the most popular brand you see in the freezer case. (The one with the red barn.)
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| Dufour brand - 5 simple ingredients, #1 is butter |
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| Popular brand - doesn't even contain butter! |
The rest of the Bread Baking Babes
- Blog from OUR Kitchen – Elizabeth
- Judy’s Gross Eats – Judy
- My Diverse Kitchen - Aparna
- Bread Experience - Cathy
- Thyme for Cooking - Katie
- My Kitchen in Half Cups - Tanna
- Feeding My Enthusiasms - Elle
- Karen's Kitchen Stories - Karen
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