1
Appreciation post: The bakery in Portland that changed my mind about cold butter
I was at a small bakery in Portland last year, watching them make croissants. The baker told me they always use butter straight from the fridge, not room temp, for their lamination. I thought that was crazy and would make it impossible to roll out. But he showed me how he pounds it into a flat sheet between parchment first, and it creates these incredible, sharp layers. I've been doing it that way for six months now and my pastries have never been flakier. Has anyone else switched to a cold-butter method for laminated dough?
4 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In4 Comments
wendy39113d ago
Sometimes the hardest way ends up being the right way.
10
the_brian16d ago
Wait, you're pounding it between parchment first? That's the game changer right there. I tried cold butter once and just smashed it with a rolling pin, made a total mess. Doing the parchment packet trick keeps it cold but workable, and you're right, the layers get so defined. I still warm my hands up under hot water before I start so I don't melt anything.
6
carter.gavin16d ago
Yeah, the parchment packet is a lifesaver... lets you really whack it without the butter sticking to everything. I found using a heavy skillet instead of a rolling pin for that first smash gives you a more even rectangle to start folding. That cold butter staying in flat sheets is what makes the layers pop in the oven.
-1