Flaky Sourdough Croissants Dark (Print)

Buttery sourdough croissants with crisp layers, filled with rich dark chocolate for an elegant start to the day.

# Ingredients:

→ Sourdough Croissant Dough

01 - 3.5 cups bread flour
02 - 0.5 cup active sourdough starter at 100% hydration
03 - 0.9 cup whole milk, cold
04 - 0.25 cup granulated sugar
05 - 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
07 - 1 large egg for egg wash

→ Butter Layer

08 - 1.75 cups unsalted European-style butter, cold for laminating

→ Filling

09 - 4.2 ounces high-quality dark chocolate, minimum 60% cocoa, cut into 12 batons

# Directions:

01 - In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine flour, sourdough starter, cold milk, sugar, salt, and softened butter. Mix until rough dough forms. Knead for 4 to 5 minutes until smooth and slightly elastic. Cover and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
02 - Transfer dough to lightly oiled bowl and cover. Bulk ferment at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours, performing 2 stretch-and-folds at 1-hour intervals. Refrigerate overnight for 8 to 12 hours.
03 - Place cold butter between two sheets of parchment paper. Pound and roll into an 8 x 8 inch square. Refrigerate until firm.
04 - On lightly floured surface, roll dough into 12 x 12 inch square. Position butter block in center and fold dough to encase butter completely. Roll to 24 x 8 inch rectangle. Fold into thirds in letter fold pattern. Chill for 30 minutes. Repeat rolling and folding process twice more, chilling 30 minutes between each turn.
05 - Roll dough to 24 x 12 inch rectangle, approximately 0.16 inch thick. Cut into 12 long triangles with base approximately 4 inches wide. Place one chocolate baton at wide end of each triangle and roll tightly toward tip. Position on parchment-lined baking sheets with tip side down.
06 - Cover loosely and proof at room temperature for 4 to 5 hours until doubled and very puffy. If kitchen is cool, proof in slightly warm, draft-free location.
07 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Whisk egg with 1 tablespoon water and gently brush over croissants. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until deep golden brown and crisp.
08 - Transfer croissants to wire rack and cool minimum 15 minutes before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sourdough starter adds a subtle complexity that makes these taste nothing like ordinary croissants—richer, slightly tangy, unexpectedly grown-up.
  • Once you master the lamination, you'll have this skill in your pocket forever, and suddenly every layered pastry becomes possible.
  • Dark chocolate melts into pockets of pure indulgence while the butter-laden layers stay impossibly crisp.
02 -
  • The dough temperature matters more than you'd think—if it gets warm while you're laminating, the butter will smear and you'll lose those distinct flaky layers, so chill between every fold without exception.
  • Those overnight chills and final proofs aren't shortcuts you can skip; they're when flavor develops and when the dough learns how to be a croissant.
  • Room temperature matters for proofing—if your kitchen is cold, they'll take longer, and that's okay; watch for visual cues (they should be puffy and jiggle slightly) rather than just setting a timer.
03 -
  • Keep everything as cold as possible during lamination—warm hands? Run them under cold water; warm countertop? Lay down a marble slab or chill your rolling pin in the freezer beforehand.
  • Mark your dough with a small indent after each turn so you never lose track of how many folds you've done; I use my pinky to make a small dent in the corner, adding one more dent each time.
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