The look I got from a 60 year old baker when I asked about using bread flour for croissants

I was at a shop in Brooklyn last March and asked the guy behind the counter if he used bread flour for his croissants. He just stopped what he was doing and stared at me for a solid 5 seconds without saying a word. Then he pointed to his case of croissants and said 'son do those look dense to you? Use AP flour and your hands not a mixer.' Has anyone else ever gotten a reality check from an old timer like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

laurabennett19d ago

Tried bread flour once and my croissants came out like hockey pucks, so that baker was right on the money.

danielwhite20d ago

Whoa, I gotta gently push back on that baker a little though! Bread flour actually has more protein which can give croissants a nice structure, as long as you don't overwork the dough. It's totally possible to use bread flour and still get those light, flaky layers if you handle it right.

abby_scott20d ago

Honestly never tried bread flour for croissants but that makes sense, I'll give it a shot.