Testing Croissant Recipes - Kneading, Layers, Bake Times, Egg Wash, and More

I was curious why croissant recipes vary so much. So I did some first-hand testing and basically schooled myself in Viennoiserie.

This is the "Why" of croissants - to be followed up with the 'How" of croissants.
Resources and Citations
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Recipe charts and experiment tracking spreadsheet
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1EnwWsjQfe9Ng8T5fLLTaLkqtJVWPDmqnSgFC1dftL28/edit?usp=sharing

Laminated Dough Layer Calculator
https://observablehq.com/@mourner/laminated-dough-calculator

Why baking stones don't actually stabilize oven temp
https://genuineideas.com/ArticlesIndex/bakingStone.html

Butter churning
https://www.uoguelph.ca/foodscience/book/export/html/1687

Recommended recipes:
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvwZMTeQ6Po&ab_channel=Benny%27sbaked
My favorite recipe to work off of. Awesome instructions, just enough detail in tips without being overwhelming. Benny gets a fantastic end product.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMcfRAArqeU&t=643s&ab_channel=YuvalAyalon
Unlike most croissant recipes, Yuval shows a very relaxed approach and makes it seem like anyone can make croissants. No fancy measuring, no precise times given, pure technique. And fast too, he goes from raw ingredients to rolling up the dough in just over an hour.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=An42SMUUpt4&t=183s&ab_channel=BrunoAlbouze
Excellent demo of kneading by hand. Shorter room temp rise makes a 1-day process possible. Great instruction.

https://buttermilkpantry.wordpress.com/2019/07/06/how-to-make-croissants/
Awesome step-by-step guide and written instructions. Great video for showing lamination technique.
0:00​​​ Croissants are amazing (sometimes)
1:50 What butter should you use?
4:14​ How much kneading does dough need?
5:47 Room temp resting vs. overnight chill?
6:33 How much time to rest between folds?
7:39 How many layers do you need?
8:53 How long should they proof?
9:19 Baking time and oven temp?
12:08 Does egg wash on the sides really matter?
12:48 Do you need steam?
13:26 Conclusion

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