Bicolored French croissant

By Christian Gillet

Pastry-baker trainer – French Baker Champion
BakeLabRC consulting
www.apprendreautrementlapatisserieboulangerie.com

The two-tone red croissant is a true work of culinary art, combining golden puff pastry with bright red stripes for a striking contrast. Not only is it aesthetically pleasing, it also delights the taste buds with its deliciously buttery flavor. With its unique style, bicolored French croissant is a real eye-catcher, making it a clever commercial choice… and truly instagrammable!

Ingredients

For 30 to 36 French croissants

Croissant dough (base)

500 g T65 French Tradition flour
500 g T55 or T45 Gruau flour (or any other Gruau flour)
420 g cold whole milk
18 g fine salt
50 g fresh yeast (or 25 g dry yeast)
20 g liquid honey
100 powdered sugar
200 g soft butter
600 g “Tourage” butter

Red croissant dough

Red powder or liquid colorant (adjust quantity according to desired intensity).

Preparation

Place all ingredients in a bowl in the following order: yeast, flour, salt, sugar, milk, butter (200 g cut into small cubes) and mix in a food processor (with hook) for 5 min at speed 1, then 15 min at speed 2, until you have a nice, even, airy dough.
Total dough weight: 2400 g.
Remove dough from the food processor and remove 1/5 of the dough for coloring.

First fermentation:
Leave “base” croissant dough to rest at room temperature for 30 min.
Wrap dough in plastic wrap. Place dough in the negative freezer (deep freeze) for 30 min.
Take out dough and shape the ball.
Place dough back in plastic wrap and freeze overnight.

To make red croissant dough, thin out red coloring powder in a bit of milk (depending on desired density) and mix into the dough.
Knead again (speed 4) to mix in the colorant or use a small “food processor”.
Mix until a homogeneous color is obtained.
Keep colored dough in the refrigerator (in a plastic wrap).

Tourage:
For 600 g of dough, use 180 g of butter.
Roll out and flatten “base” croissant dough into a 20 cm x 20 cm square using a rolling pin.
Place “Tourage” butter in the middle of the dough and cover, folding the sides over the butter. Carefully press the seam with a rolling pin.
Former un grand rectangle de 60 cm (long) x 20 cm (large).
Take colored dough and flatten it to the same size as the “base” croissant dough.
Place red dough on top of “base” croissant dough block.
Proceed with the final rolling (with a rolling mill or roller) to obtain a rectangle measuring 22 cm x 55 to 60 cm.
The final dough should be 3 or 4 cm thick.
Cut the edges of the dough to neat lines.
Cut 25 cm x 8.5 cm triangles. Slightly stretch each triangle lengthwise by hand, shape into croissants and place it on a platter.

Second fermentation:
Leave shaped croissants to rest for 45 min to 1 h at 27° C (80° F).

Make a syrup with sugar and water by boiling the mixture, then reserve.

Baking:
Bake French croissants at 180° C (356° F) for 18 to 20 min.

Decorating:
When removed from the oven, let French croissants cool slightly, then brush them with (cooled) syrup for added shine.