Eggnog Sourdough Croissant

With an eggnog custard filling.

Embark on a journey of festive indulgence with the new Eggnog Croissant.

Imagine a dough woven with the essence of creamy eggnog, swirling into golden, buttery flakey layers, that give you holiday cheer with every bite.

The gentle warmth of nutmeg, sprinkled into the butter block, enchants your taste buds with nostalgic comfort.

Finally, hidden within, a luscious eggnog spiced custard awaits, a velvety embrace that dances delicately on your palate. This croissant is not just a pastry; it is a symphony of flavors, a celebration of the season’s finest.

Eggnog Custard Recipe

1.75 cups eggnog

1 cups heavy cream, divided

1/3 cup sugar

6 TBS cornstarch

2 egg yolks

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 tsp nutmeg

Pour your 1.75 cup eggnog, 0.5 cup heavy cream, and 1/3 cup sugar in a small pan.
Over medium heat, stir until sugar is dissolved and the mixture is steaming, but not yet simmering.
While heating the mixture up combine the remaining 1/2 cup of heavy cream, 2 egg yolks and 6 TBS of cornstarch. In a separate bowl Whisk well.
Add your nutmeg, continuing to whisk.
Take 1/3 cup of the hot mixture and slowly whisk into the egg yolk, cream and cornstarch. Tempering the eggs.
Repeat twice. Whisking well.
Then take the tempered cream and slowly pour it into the hot mixture. Whisking constantly.
Continue to whisk the combined mixture, over medium heat, until thickened and pudding consistency.

Remove from the heat and transfer to heat safe bowl.
Whisk in 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract.
Whisk every now and then over an hour, to keep a skin from forming. Then place plastic directly over the top(to keep a skin from forming) and place in the refrigerator until thoroughly chilled. Will be good to use for 5 days.

Nutmeg Butter Block

You want to go with a high butterfat butter. Looking for at least 82% and as high as 85%. some of my favorites are Plugra, President, Kirkland New Zealand GrassFed and Kerrigold.

I’ve used both salted and unsalted butter.(All the pictures on this recipe blog were made using salted butter) but incase you’re wondering why unsalted is recommended…

1. **Texture**: Unsalted butter typically has a lower water content compared to salted butter. This contributes to the croissant’s characteristic flakiness and lightness. More moisture means higher chance of gluten forming

2. **Consistency**: The consistency of unsalted butter is usually more uniform. Salted butter’s salt content can vary between brands, affecting the dough’s consistency and, ultimately, the croissant’s texture.

3. **Freshness**: Unsalted butter is generally fresher than salted butter. The salt in butter acts as a preservative, allowing salted butter to sit longer before use. Unsalted butter, without this preservative, tends to be fresher, which is preferable for pastry-making.

Ingredients

Freshly microplaned nutmeg

3 sticks of butter

Create your 8 inch parchment square. Take a 25 inch long parchment piece and section into 8 inches for the width and the height.

Place the butter in the middle and microplane the nutmeg on top.

Fold up your parchment
Gently smash the butter with your rolling pin, then roll it out so the square is filled evenly with butter.
Stick the butter block back in the fridge for 5 minutes while you roll your dough out.
You want your butter cold but pliable.

London Fog Croissant Dough

170g cold eggnog

150g cold water

60g sugar

150g sourdough starter

560g bread flour(I used organic King Arthur)

10g salt

8g vanilla extract

50g butter, softened

Pinch of ground clove

Add eggnog, water, starter, and sugar to your bowl
Mix with paddle attachment, until broken up.
Add in your flour.
Mix until combined
Cover and let rest for 30 minutes
Add in your salt, vanilla, and clove
Using your dough hook, put the mixer on level 2 and knead in for 5 minutes.
Slowly add about a rounded teaspoon of your softened butter at a time, to the dough, as it’s mixing. Making sure the butter is fully incorporated before adding the next chunk.
Knead for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until window pane has formed and the dough is smooth and not sticky.
Move to a clean bowl and cover. Let rise 4 hours.
Then tightly cover and place in the refrigerator over night. (Up to 14 hours)
The next day right before your ready to start, create your butter block (recipe above)
Remove dough from refrigerator and place on a flour dusted surface.
Roll out a 17 inch long by 8 1/2 inch high dough square.
Place your butter block in the middle.

Fold in the sides to the middle and pinch all seams, where dough meets, closed. I started taking the top and bottom and folding up and over the edge before bringing the sides into the middle

Push down rolling pin on top seam and bottom seam. Then push down, little by little, up the dough. To gently spread the dough. (See video below)

Then roll the dough out to 9 inches by 25 inches.

Trim about a 1/2 inch off the top and the bottom, giving you an approximate 24” length.
Perform a double fold(steps below)
Fold the bottom up to the 15 inch mark
Then the top down, to meet the trimmed edges together.

Be sure to dust off excess flow between folds

Then fold in half again.

Cover in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 45 minutes to an hour.
Flour your counter and place down, croissant dough.
Let rest 5 minutes at room temperature
Push down on your edges and preform another gentle round of pushing the dough up with your rolling pin
Roll out to 9 inches by 16 inches.
Cover in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for another 45 minutes.

Flour your surface and place your 9 inch x 16 inch rectangle.
Flour the top and continue to roll out until it is 9 inches x 24 inches.
Trim the edges on the top and bottom. Making it 23ish inches long.
Perform a single fold (follow the pictures below)

Fold the bottom up to around the 9 or 10 inch mark

Then fold the top to the bottom of the first fold.

Wrap well and place in the fridge anywhere from 8-24 hours
When ready, pull dough out and place on a floured surface.
Let rest 30 minutes at room temperature.
Roll out to a 12.5inch x 21.5 inch rectangle. Dough should be approximately 1/4 inch thick.

Trim approximately a 1/4 inch off the sides.

Trim about a 1/4 inch off the top and bottom

Trim about a 1/4 inch off the top and bottom of your dough rectangle.

You should be left with a rectangle of dough that is 12 inch by 21 inches long.
Take your ruler and make a mark every 3.5 inches on the top and bottom.

Use the ruler to create an even line and cut up and down, rather than dragging the knife. Dragging the knife can cause your edges to stick, which is fine, but you’ll get a “prettier” croissant if you don’t.

You’ll end up with 6 rectangles of dough.
Take your ruler and line up a top corner to the opposite bottom corner. Making yourself a triangle.

Again cutting in an up down motion, not dragging.

When rolling your croissant you want to keep it tight but not too tight or you can have uneven layering and tearing during proofing.
I like to begin the roll and slowly pull and turn the little edge toward me. Creating some tension.

When you get to the end, take your thumb and flatten out the last inch or so of the croissant tail. Then roll your dough on top of it, creating a flat base.

Place on a parchment lined baking tray.
Croissants like a more humid environment. To create that use something that can create a fine mist and spray your croissants lightly, before covering.

Cover with your tray lids
Or use a Reynolds’s oven bag, with a tall jar inside to keep the top from falling down onto the croissants. Make sure to create a good seal with clips on tucking it under the tray.

Let proof at room temperature anywhere from 12-18 hours depending on your home temperature.
Signs to look for, to know they’re ready to bake.
- Doubled in size.
- A little jiggle when moved.
- Edges separating
- Fingertip check: press your fingertip gently into the dough. If it slowly bounces back it’s ready. If it springs back quickly give them more time.

Preheat your oven to 375°
Create your egg wash.
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 TBS heavy cream
- 1 TBS water
- A splash of vanilla
  - Whisk well, if you want to get fancy you can strain the mixture so it’s thinner and easier to spread.
GENTLY brush on a LIGHT coat of egg wash. Top of the croissant rolls only.
Try to avoid getting it on any of your croissant edges. it will keep them from expanding and opening up.