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Croissant proofing at home
I am in a quest of making perfect croissant at home. I am following all Q&A related to croissant as well. My 2 questions are, 1- how can I maintain 28 degree temperature in home oven with pan of warm water throughout the 2 to 2.5hour of proofing as the water cools eventually? I have also bought the hygrometer as it was shared by support team member. 😊 2-could you also explain the temp of dough and butter at the time of rolling/laminating? Thanks in advance ☺️
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Scoolinary Team
Hi Nazneen, thank you so much for your message! I’m happy to help you with both of your questions :
About maintaining 28°C and the right humidity at home with a tray of water:
What you’re currently doing with a tray of warm water in a turned-off oven works quite well as a home method but as you mentioned, the water cools over time and the temperature drops. To keep a stable temperature for the 2 to 2.5 hours of proofing, here are a few tips you can try:
Preheat the oven for just 30 seconds to 1 minute at 50°C, then turn it off before placing the tray of water and your croissants inside. This will give the oven a slightly warm environment from the start.
Use hotter water (around 40-45°C) in the tray, and replace the water every 30-40 minutes to keep the ambient temperature up.
If your oven has an interior light, leave it on it produces gentle heat that helps maintain a steady temperature.
With the hygrometer you have now, you can monitor the humidity and add more hot water if you notice it dropping.
And as a more precise option, if your oven has a proofing function or you can get a proofing box at home, this will make things a lot easier.About the temperature of the dough and butter when rolling and laminating:
This is one of the most important points for achieving beautifully layered and structured croissants. Let me summarize it for you:Ideal butter temperature for laminating: between 14°C and 16°C. This way it stays plastic and pliable without breaking or melting while you roll it out.
Dough temperature: around 4°C to 6°C before starting the lamination. It should be cold but flexible.
Keep in mind that both of these can vary depending on your room temperature. If you’re working in summer or a warm kitchen, it’s best to work at slightly lower temperatures, both for the butter and the dough. You’ll need to observe and adjust to find the ideal working temperature for your environment and timing.During the turns, if you notice the butter starting to soften too much or peek through, it’s best to chill the whole block for 20-30 minutes before continuing.
The key is to keep both the dough and butter at a similar texture and temperature so that one doesn’t slide ahead of the other while rolling.
Bonus tip: If you’d like, you can use a contact or infrared thermometer to check these temperatures — but you can also rely on touch: the butter should give under your finger without breaking or feeling too firm.
I hope these recommendations help you achieve that perfect croissant at home. Please feel free to share how it goes or send us some photos of your bakes we’d love to see them! Wishing you the best of luck, Nazneen!.
And of course, if you have any other questions, I’m right here to help.
Warm regards.
Sussan Scoolinary Team
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