need help rolling croissant dough
Hi everyone,
This is my first post to the site. I am having a HUGE problem with rolling out my croissant dough. I'll give you some background info on it:
1) Last night I made the dough (similar to the CIA's recipe), let it proof until it doubled on the counter, and put it in the fridge for about 18 hours. Last night I also prepared the butter slab to be locked in.
2) Tonight I took the croissant dough out of the fridge, rolled it onto a wooden table on the deck (about 45 degrees F), let it sit for 30 minutes covered. After letting it rest, I locked in the butter, did a four fold, and wrapped it and let it rest in the fridge for 30.
3) Did a three fold for turn 2 and let it rest again in the fridge for 30 minutes.
4) Performed a three fold for the third and final turn. After this, I put the dough in the fridge to rest for about an hour.
5) Took the dough out of the fridge, rolled it out again with hopes of cutting and shaping the croissants. I was basically pushing on the dough with all my weight to get it to stretch out because it WOULD NOT move. Actually, through the whole process the dough was TIGHT TIGHT TIGHT. Of course when I shaped the croissants, there was no sign of layers of butter and dough since I pushed so hard and forcefully on the dough (although when I cut the dough in half after my final turn, the layers of butter were even and perfectly spaced between the dough). When I cooked the croissants, of course all of the butter leaked out almost immediately. So I know I was rolling it out too hard.
I figured by leaving the dough in the fridge 18(!) hours, keeping it always cool, I would have a little less problem with rolling it out... but I tell you, this dough was as dense and tight as it could be. The dough was fully kneaded before storing in the fridge, too.
I thought cooling the dough was supposed to ease the gluten. For me, it was a constant and frustrating tug and pull race. I would roll the dough out and it would snap back again.
Should I have kept the dough warmer? Should I have not been working in a cool location? I am terrible at rolling dough. Any helpful thoughts? I'm having A LOT of trouble finding anything more helpful than "keep the dough cool".