Lesson 1Dough and butter selection: fat types, block vs sheeted butter, water content and gluten strengthThis section explains how flour strength, butter type, plasticity, and water content interact in laminated doughs, guiding fat selection, butter formats, and hydration for clean layers and smooth sheeting.
Flour protein level and gluten strengthEuropean vs American style buttersBlock butter vs sheeted butter handlingWater content, plasticity, and chill pointAlternative fats and flavor considerationsLesson 2Butter-to-dough ratio, lamination math and desired lift characteristicsThis section covers butter-to-dough ratios and lamination calculations, showing how fold sequences build layers and influence lift, crumb openness, eating quality, and production efficiency.
Typical butter-to-dough ratios by productCalculating layers from fold sequencesBalancing lift, richness, and costAdjusting ratios for line constraintsDocumenting formulas for repeatabilityLesson 3Sheeter and rolling equipment use, dough handling, and inline scaling/dividing for high throughputThis section trains safe and efficient operation of sheeters and rollers, covering thickness targets, reduction steps, flouring, trimming, and inline scaling/dividing for steady high-volume production.
Sheeter setup, safety, and sanitationStepwise reduction and thickness targetsManaging dough tension and shrinkageFlouring, dust removal, and scrap useInline cutting, scaling, and portion controlLesson 4Enrobbing and freezing: partial bake, blast freezing, and reheating protocols for distributionThis section covers partial baking, cooling, enrobing, and blast freezing for laminated products, plus storage, transport, and reheating protocols to retain lift, flakiness, and eating quality.
Par-bake parameters for frozen productsCooling and moisture equilibration stepsBlast freezing curves and core targetsPackaging, storage, and transport rulesRebake and reheat instructions for clientsLesson 5Common faults for laminated pastry and targeted corrective stepsThis section lists common laminated pastry issues and ties them to causes and fixes, enabling quick adjustments to dough, lamination, proofing, and baking for consistent quality.
Poor lift and dense internal crumbButter blowouts and side leakageIrregular or collapsed layer structureGreasy mouthfeel and oily bottomsUneven color, blistering, and spottingLesson 6Detrempe formulation and chilling schedule to control gluten and butter migrationThis section focuses on detrempe formulation and chilling, covering mix development, dough temperature, rest periods, and cooling to manage gluten strength and prevent butter migration.
Target dough temperature at mixer exitMixing time and gluten development levelSalt, sugar, and fat effects in detrempeChill schedule between lamination turnsPreventing butter smearing and greasingLesson 7Baking for laminated pastry: oven types, convection effects, steam or dry bake, temperature profiles and bake timingThis section details baking parameters for laminated pastry, including deck/convection ovens, airflow, steam control, temperature curves, and timing for full lift, even colour, and crisp tender crumb.
Deck vs rack and convection oven behaviorLoading patterns and airflow managementSteam quantity, timing, and ventingTemperature curves for different sizesColor, internal set, and bake-out testsLesson 8Quality checks: layer count verification, butter distribution, leakage detection, moisture and texture testingThis section outlines quality checks for laminated pastry, including layer count, butter spread, leakage, moisture, and texture via cut tests, weighing, and sensory evaluation for standards.
Counting and verifying layer structureChecking butter distribution and voidsDetecting butter leakage and greasingMeasuring moisture and water activityTexture, flakiness, and bite assessmentLesson 9Resting and proofing: temperature and humidity control to optimise oven spring and layer developmentThis section details resting and proofing strategies to protect lamination, covering dough relaxation, temp/humidity ranges, proof times, balancing gas, butter firmness, and oven spring.
Bench rest after mixing and laminationRetarder and retarder-proofer settingsTarget proof temperature and humidityVisual and tactile proofing indicatorsPreventing butter melt and layer collapseLesson 10Lamination techniques: single vs double turns, book vs letter fold, number of folds for commercial croissantsThis section compares single/double turns, book/letter folds, and optimal fold counts for commercial croissants, balancing layers, butter integrity, dough strength, and line speed.
Single turn method and layer outcomeDouble turn method and layer outcomeBook vs letter fold: when to choose eachFold count targets for croissant linesAvoiding over-lamination and tough crumb
