How the Best Croissants in NYC are Made | Made to Order | Bon Appétit

Quick Overview

Pastry Chef Dominique Ansel details the meticulous process for creating his signature, highly layered croissants, emphasizing strict temperature control during mixing (aiming for 22-24°C/72-75°F), the importance of high-quality French flour and Isigny Sainte-Mère butter, precise lamination techniques resulting in hundreds of layers, and the final proofing at 28°C (82.4°F) before baking at 190°C (375°F) for 8-9 minutes to achieve a golden, crispy, and airy final product.

Key Points: The ideal dough temperature after mixing must be maintained between 22°C and 24°C (72°F–75°F) to avoid melting the butter layers during lamination. Key ingredients include French flour from Legoumande in Paris and high-quality Isigny Sainte-Mère butter, which contributes significantly to the final flavor and texture. Lamination involves multiple folds (single and double) to build hundreds of distinct dough and butter layers, which is demonstrated by folding the dough into a four-layer block before chilling. The dough is rolled out to 4mm thick after chilling and cut into triangles using a multi-wheel cutter to ensure uniform size for consistent shaping. Shaping involves tightly rolling the triangle with the tip tucked underneath to prevent unraveling during proofing. The shaped croissants proof in a proofer set to 28°C (82.4°F) with 80-85% humidity for about two hours to allow for proper development. The final bake occurs in a high-heat convection oven (like a Rational oven) at 190°C (375°F) for 8 to 9 minutes to ensure a golden color and flaky, airy interior structure.

Context: Pastry Chef and owner of Dominique Ansel Bakery, Dominique Ansel, provides a detailed tutorial on the professional techniques required to achieve the perfect, award-winning croissant. The video focuses heavily on the critical steps of dough mixing, lamination (layering the dough and butter), shaping, proofing, and baking, all while maintaining precise temperature and humidity control to maximize flakiness and flavor.