Part 4/8:
Incorporating Butter: The Laminating Technique
A key step in croissant making is layering butter into the dough through a series of folds. Softened butter—about 14 ounces—is mixed with a tablespoon of flour for structure. The butter is spread over two-thirds of the rolled dough, then folded into thirds, wrapped, and refrigerated. This process is repeated after chilling, with the dough rolled into a larger rectangle (20x11 inches) before folding into thirds again.
Subsequent turns involve rolling, folding, chilling, and turning, culminating in a dough with multiple layers—each fold adding to the dough's flakiness. After the final fold, the dough is wrapped and chilled for at least 1.5 to 2 hours, allowing it to develop optimal texture and flavor.