Baking Great Bread at HomeFlaky croissant layers with real sourdough tang
AdvancedSourdough CroissantBread
by Henry Hunter Jr.
The viral croissant loaf, the sourdough way
Fermentation
14-18 hours
Bake Time
35-40 minutes
Yield
Serves 8-10
Perfection is not required
"Perfection is not required. Progress is."— Henry Hunter Jr.
By Henry Hunter Jr., founder of Crust & Crumb Academy and Baking Great Bread at Home.
Authentic Flavor
A flaky, buttery sourdough croissant loaf made with grated frozen butter and a long cold proof for real tang. The slow-build version of the viral trend.
Equipment Needed
Ingredients
The Dough
An enriched sourdough base. The starter does the lifting, the yolk and butter keep it soft.
The Lamination Butter
This is the butter that makes the layers. Keep it frozen hard until the moment you grate it.
Egg Wash
Pro Tip
Build this around your weekend. Feed the starter Friday night, mix and laminate Saturday, cold proof overnight, and bake fresh Sunday morning.
Night Before
Feed Your Starter
Start with a strong, active . A sluggish starter is the number one reason an enriched sourdough stalls, so give it a good feed the night before.
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Feed and Wait
The evening before baking, feed your starter and leave it at room temperature overnight. By morning it should be bubbly, domed, and roughly doubled. The float test is a good check: a spoonful should float in water.
⏱ Wait Time
8 to 12 hours
Pro Tip
If your kitchen is cold, a starter home keeps it in the sweet spot so it's ready by morning.
Morning
Mix the Dough
We build a soft first. Layers come later. Right now you want a smooth, supple dough.
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Combine the Wet Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the active starter, milk, egg yolk, and honey until blended.
Add the Flour, Salt, and Soft Butter
Add the bread flour, salt, and softened butter. Mix until no dry flour remains, then knead by hand or with a dough hook for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth.
Pro Tip
Enriched doughs take longer to come together than lean doughs. The milk, yolk, and butter slow down gluten development, so give it the full knead.
Bulk
Bulk Fermentation
Sourdough works slower than yeast. This is where the flavor and the rise build.
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Fold and Ferment
Cover and let the dough ferment at room temperature. Over the first 2 hours, do two or three rounds of , spaced 30 minutes apart. Then leave it to rise.
Watch the Dough, Not the Clock
Bulk is done when the dough has grown by about a third and feels light and airy, usually 4 to 6 hours depending on your kitchen and starter strength.
⏱ Wait Time
4 to 6 hours
Precise Timers
Use these interactive timers to track your stages.
Between Folds
Laminate
Laminate the Butter
This is the part everyone's talking about
Now the croissant magic. We grate frozen butter into the dough and fold it in, building thin sheets of butter between layers of dough. No butter block needed. This is for the rest of us.
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Roll It Out
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter and roll it into a rectangle about 12 by 16 inches, long side facing you. The dough will be soft from fermentation, so handle it gently.
Grate the Frozen Butter
Working fast, grate the frozen butter over the bottom two-thirds of the dough using the large holes of a box grater. Spread it evenly and keep your warm hands off it.
Letter Fold
Fold the bare top third down over the middle, then fold the buttered bottom third up over that, like folding a letter. Pinch the edges to seal.
Chill, Then Fold Again
Wrap and chill 20 minutes. Roll back out, do one more letter fold, and chill 20 minutes more. The moment the butter starts to smear or soften, stop and chill.
⏱ Wait Time
about 40 minutes total
Pro Tip
Soft sourdough plus soft butter is a recipe for no layers. Keep the dough cold and move quickly through the folds.
Steam Builds the Layers
In the oven, the water in cold butter flashes to steam and pushes the dough apart into flaky sheets. Solid butter means defined layers.
Sourdough Makes It Trickier
Fermented dough is softer and warmer than a fresh yeasted dough, so it fights you a little more during lamination. The fix is the same: chill often, work fast, and don't force it.
The Takeaway
Keep the butter cold and you keep the layers. Tang from the sourdough is the bonus.
Cold Proof
Shape and Cold Proof
Overnight in the fridge
A long finishes the proof slowly and deepens the sourdough flavor. This is what gives the loaf its tang.
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Shape Into a Log
Roll the laminated dough into a rectangle the length of your pan, then roll it up snugly from a short side into a log. Seal the seam.
Into the Pan and the Fridge
Place the log seam side down in a buttered 9x5 inch loaf pan, cover, and refrigerate 10 to 16 hours, or overnight.
⏱ Wait Time
10 to 16 hours
Shaping
Shape the Loaf
A snug log gives flaky layers running through every slice and a tall sandwich-loaf crown.
Sandwich Loaf
The most reliable shape for a 9x5 pan and a clean cold proof.
RecommendedClick each step to mark complete
Roll
Roll the laminated dough into a rectangle the length of your pan.
Log
Roll it up snugly from a short side and seal the seam.
Pan
Set it seam side down in the buttered pan, then cold proof.
Proof Test: After the fridge and any room-temp finish, the side should take a slow-filling dent under a floured finger. Cold dough springs back faster, so give it time to warm if it's stiff.
Bake
Final Proof and Bake
Bring the loaf back to life, give it a , and bake.
Step by Step
Finish the Proof
Pull the pan from the fridge. The dough may have crowned overnight, or it may need 1 to 2 hours at room temperature to rise an inch above the rim. Use the : a gentle press should fill back in slowly.
Egg Wash
Whisk the egg with the milk and brush it gently over the top. Don't press down.
Bake
Bake at 375F (190C) for 35 to 40 minutes, until deep golden and 190F (88C) inside. Tent with foil for the last 10 minutes if it browns too fast.
Cool Before Slicing
Cool on a rack at least 45 minutes before slicing. Enriched sourdough needs the extra rest, or it slices gummy.
Bake
Cool
Baking Methods
No Dutch oven or added steam needed for this enriched loaf.
Equipment: 9x5 inch loaf pan
Preheat
Preheat to 375F (190C) with a rack in the center.
Bake
Bake 35 to 40 minutes until deep golden and 190F (88C) inside.
Tent if Needed
Tent loosely with foil for the final 10 minutes if the top darkens too quickly.
"Bake to temperature, not color. The enriched top browns fast, so a thermometer keeps you honest about doneness."
Nutrition Facts
Per 1 slice • 10 servings per recipe
* Values are estimates based on standard ingredients
Storage
Room Temperature
3 to 4 days wrapped in a bread bag or cloth. The sourdough keeps it fresher a touch longer than the yeasted version.
Refrigerated
Not recommended. The fridge stales it and dulls the flaky layers.
Frozen
Up to 3 months. Slice before freezing so you can toast what you need.
Refresh
Warm slices in a 325F (160C) oven for 5 to 7 minutes to revive the layers and butter.
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Troubleshooting
Baker's Notes
Common questions and solutions for perfect results
If you're serious about scoring, you need the right blade in your hand. Wire Monkey makes handcrafted bread lames from black walnut — built to last, balanced in the hand, and sharp enough to glide through cold dough cleanly every single time. No dragging, no hesitation marks. Just a clean cut.
Wire Monkey Handcrafted Bread Lames
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