Champagne Croissants

With a rose petal butter block

I am so happy to release my recipe, as one of the Hosts of the #mylovelybake contest!!

I know I really wanted to use champagne from the ingredient list, because it’s delicious!!

I was unsure of how the alcohol in the champagne would affect the ferment. Alcohol can weaken the gluten network in the dough. This could result in a dough that’s slightly weaker in structure, which might affect the dough’s ability to hold its shape and create those airy, flaky layers typical of croissants.

SO, I made three different recipes to find the perfect one! One with no egg, one with the egg yolk, and one with an egg white.

While they were all quite beautiful, I choose the one with egg white. I believe the egg white helped with strengthening the structure of the crumb, that the alcohol weakened.

It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it!

I also chose to do a by hand recipe, so no mixer is needed. This recipe will make you 6 scrumptious croissants.

Now onto the fun part…

Imagine a croissant with buttery, flaky layers entwined with champagne, adding a subtle, effervescent undertone. Perfectly infused with the delicate fragrance of rose petals. Organic dried rose petals are finely ground and rolled into high-quality butter, which is then layered within the champagne croissant dough. As the croissant bakes, it develops a golden-brown, crispy exterior and a tender, fragrant interior.

Then optionally stuffed with a strawberry white chocolate custard and drizzled with chocolate.

Strawberry White Chocolate Custard

1 cup heavy cream

1.25 cups whole milk(divided)

1/2 cup puréed strawberries

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup white chocolate

2 egg yolks

6 TBS cornstarch

Take 1 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup milk, and 1/4 cup sugar. Add to a small pot.
Over medium heat, stir until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is steaming, but not yet simmering.
While heating the mixture up. In a separate bowl combine the remaining 3/4 cup whole milk, 1/2 cup of strawberry purée, 2 egg yolks and 6 TBS of cornstarch. Whisk well.
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.
Add in your white chocolate. Whisking until fully melted.
Pour into heat safe bowl.
Every few minutes, give it a stir, releasing the heat.
After about 20 minutes, Cover with seran wrap. So the top of the custard and the plastic are touching everywhere. To prevent a skin from forming on the custard.
Place in the fridge until ready for use. Up to 4 days.

Champagne Croissant Dough

100g champagne (I opted for a sweeter one)

60g peaked starter

30g whole milk

20g sugar

5g salt

4g vanilla paste

1 egg white

260g bread flour

30g room temperature butter

In a bowl, mix the champagne, starter, milk, sugar, salt, egg white, and vanilla paste. Whisk well.
Dump in flour and place butter on top of the flour in teaspoon size chunks.
Gently pinch butter into the flour on top. Trying not to mix the flour into the liquid yet.

Once butter is worked into the flour well. Start mixing the wet ingredients in, gently incorporating.

Gently mixing until it turns into a shaggy dough.
Cover and let rest for 1 hour at room temperature.
Uncover and do 4 stretch and folds.

Then do 4 slap and folds.

Cover and let rise for 3-4 hours.
Put in the fridge overnight for 8-12 hours.
The next day pull out dough and let rest at room temperature, while you make your butter block.

Rose Petal Butter Block

170 grams cold butter(1.5 sticks slices long ways)

1 TBS ground organic rose petals

Create your parchment paper block

Watch how to make a butter block here

Slice your butter and lay it in the center of the parchment

Gently smash and roll the butter out.

Set butter block aside.
- If it seems too warm. (It should still be cold to the touch but pliable) put in the fridge while you roll out your dough.
Lightly dust your work area with flour and roll your dough out to an approximate 10“ x 10“ square.
Take your butter block and rotate it so it’s in a diamond shape and set it in the dough squares center.

Gently stretch the dough square edges so they meet in the center of the butter block.

Once all sides folded in, pinch all the seams together. Cover and let rest 10 minutes.

Roll out to a length of 19”.

Trim the top edge and the bottom edge

Next you will do a double fold. Take the bottom and fold it up about 3”.
Take the top and fold it down to meet the bottom.
Then fold that in half.

Double Fold

Wrap well and place in the fridge for one hour.
Remove and let rest at room temperature for five minutes.
Lightly dust your work surface with flour and unwrap your dough.
Roll your dough gently back out to a length of 19 inches.
Trim the top and the bottom edges a 1/2”.
You will now preform a single fold.
Take your bottom and fold it up around 6”.
Take your top and fold it down over top of the bottom fold, about 6” or until the top edge is now even with the bottom, making a square

Single Fold

Wrap well and place in the fridge for at least one hour and up to 24 hours.
- If you leave it in for one hour, when you remove it let rest for five minutes at room temperature.
- If you leave it in for more than four hours up to 24 hours, when you remove it, you will want your dough to be cold but yet the butter to be pliable. And you will need to adjust the length you leave it at room temperature for.
- Example, if I leave it in the refrigerator for 12 hours, I will usually give it approximately a 15/20 minute rest at room temperature before I roll it out again.
- But it is all dependent on your butters pliability. You want to be able to roll your butter and dough out and not have the butter break up into chunks. Which can lead to butter leakage and pour crumb structure.
Lightly flour your work surface and unwrap your dough.
Roll your dough out into a rectangle of approximately 10.5 inches high and 13 inches wide.
- If at any time while you’re rolling out your dough, if you’re met with resistance of the dough, wrap, and place a refrigerator for 15 minutes to allow the gluten to relax.

Trim 1/4” off the top and bottom of your dough rectangle.
Trim 1/2” off the sides of your dough rectangle.
Measure out 4” marks along the top and bottom of your dough.

*this picture is from a previous croissant recipe. It is showing the method not the measurements*

Use your ruler and line up the top and bottom marks. And make your cut.
- You will be making three rectangles and then they will turn into 6 triangles.

Now take your ruler and line up the top edge and the opposite bottom edge to make your triangle.

Using and up and down motion, use a knife to cut your triangle.
- Dragging your knife can cause your edges to squish together.

Gently roll your croissant up.
The last half inch of the croissant tail you’re going to want to flatten before rolling the croissant on to it. This is to help create a base as well as adhere the end.

Place rolled up croissants on a parchment lined baking sheet. They need room to grow. I usually do 6 per half sheet pan.

Croissants like a humid environment. Gently mist each one lightly with water, if you can.
Cover with lid or use a Reynolds’s oven bag and a thin bottle in the center of the tray to make a tent. Clip the edges to seal well.

Let proof at room temperature, anywhere from 10-18 hours. Could be longer depending on your home temperature.
Signs of a fully proofed croissant.
- At least 50% in-size, you want it to be almost on the edge of over proofing. A fine line.
- Edges of the croissants starting to separate.
- Poke test. Gently poke with your finger.
  - If the indentation springs back quickly, the dough needs more time to proof.
  - If the indentation springs back slowly and leaves a slight mark, the croissants are ready to bake.
- Jiggly Surface: When you gently shake the baking tray, the croissants should slightly wobble indicating they are light and airy.

Once fully proofed preheat your oven to 375°F
Prepare your egg wash.

Egg Wash

1 egg yolk

2 TBS heavy cream or whole milk

Whisk well
Optional: Strain mixture for a smoother texture

Using Wayne Caddy’s paper towel egg wash method

Using a small strip of paper towel, gently egg wash only the tops of the croissants.
- Try to keep your egg wash from going down onto layers. It can bake them closed, keeping them from opening up completely.
Bake for 20- 25 minutes. Or until your desired color.
Allow to rest for 10 minutes on your baking tray before moving them to the cooling rack. Why??
- Setting the structure: As they cool slightly, the croissants’ internal structure firms up a bit, preventing them from collapsing when you move them.
- Better texture: The resting period can help the crust become crisper and flakier before transferring to a cooling rack to prevent sogginess caused by trapped steam under the croissants.

Custard Option:

Once croissants have completely cooled, remove your custard from the refrigerator.
Use a ziplock bag with the corner trimmed off or a piping bag and fill your croissants.

Chocolate Option:

Place your desired chocolate into a heat safe bowl.
In 30 second increments, heat chocolate, stirring between, until smooth.
Using a spoon or any implement, drizzle your chocolate over the top. Or dip your croissant in the chocolate. Be creative!!