Sourdough Croissant Bread Loaf

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, mix the flour, salt, and sugar. Then, add the whole milk, water, and sourdough starter and mix on medium speed for a few minutes until you have a shaggy dough.
Add the softened butter last and continue mixing for 7-10 minutes until you have a smooth and tacky dough that passes the windowpane test.
360 g Bread Flour, 33 g Granulated Sugar, 8 g Kosher Salt, 100 g Whole Milk, 100 g Water, 28 g Unsalted Butter, 120 g Sourdough Starter
Transfer the dough to a bowl, cover, and place in a warm location for bulk fermentation. At 78ºF, it will take 5-6 hours for it to double in size.
At this point, place it in the refrigerator to chill overnight and up to two days.
While the dough proofs, you can make the butter block (see images in post above).
Cut out a large piece of parchment paper, slice two sticks of butter into 16 thin square pieces, and arrange them side-by-side in 5x3 rows with one square on top in the middle of the parchment paper.
Encase the butter with the parchment into a 9"x5 ½" rectangular package, flip over, and beat with a rolling pin. Smush and roll the pieces of butter together into one thin block with even corners and sides. Chill the butter block.
226 g Unsalted Butter
The next day, deflate the dough and roll it out on a clean work surface to a 13"x10" rectangle (it should be only slightly wider than the butter block). Only lightly flour the work surface and dough as needed to prevent sticking.
Remove the butter block from the fridge, unwrap, and place it in the middle of the dough. Fold one overhang of dough to the center of the butter block and repeat on the other side so the dough meets in the middle. Pinch together to create a seam and pinch the sides of the dough to enclose the butter block.
At this point, the butter has usually warmed up enough to perform the first letter fold. You want the butter to be cool, but malleable and pliable without breaking. The ideal temperature is 55-60ºF.
Rotate the dough so the seam is perpendicular to your rolling pin and roll the dough out into a 20" long rectangular slab. Try to keep the sides and edges as square as possible.
Now, fold the dough in thirds like a letter. Fold the top third down over the middle third and the bottom third up and over to create a letter package of dough. This is your first letter fold or simple turn.
Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
Repeat this letter fold and chilliing process twice more for a total of 3 letter folds.
Butter or spray a bread loaf pan and set aside.
Roll the chilled dough out into a 12"x10" rectangle and trim the edges and sides so it's even. It's normal for the dough to spring back some, but try to keep it close to these dimensions.
Use a pastry wheel or sharp knife to cut out four 3" rectangles that are 10" long. Fold each of them into thirds just like the letter folds and stand them side-by-side in the loaf pan with the laminated layers facing up.
Cover and place in a warm location to proof for 4-5 hours or until at least doubled in size, puffy, and the dough feels full of air, and wobbles a bit if you shake the pan.
Preheat the oven to 375ºF (191ºC).
Beat an egg and a teaspoon of water in a small bowl and brush the egg wash on top of the sourdough croissant bread.
Bake the loaf on a baking sheet to catchy any butter drippings for 35-40 minutes or until the top is shiny and dark golden brown with an internal temperature of 200ºF (93ºC). Tent with foil if it's browning too quickly.
Let the sourdough croissant bread loaf sit in the pan for 15 minutes before turning it out on a wire rack to cool before pulling apart or slicing.
1 Egg

Sourdough Croissant Bread Loaf

Equipment

Ingredients

Sourdough Croissant Bread Dough

Butter Block

Instructions

Notes