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Duration
1 hour
Serves
6 croissants
Chef’s notes
Black bear grease is as versatile as it gets. Meat, hide, skull, and claws are nice, but it’s that beautiful liquid gold I get most excited about.
Rendered bear fat is stable, mild, and useful—akin to typical shortening. It can be used in the same manner. I like it for biscuits, cookies, pie crusts, fried food, and of course, pastries. The mild, bear fat flavor also makes it a perfect candidate for chocolate croissants.
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cup bread flour
- 1 cup water
- 1 tbsp. dry yeast
- 1 tbsp. white sugar
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup rendered bear fat (or butter), kept cold
- 2 full-sized dark chocolate bars
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/4 cup water for egg wash
Also works with
Pork lard, butter
Special equipment
Rolling pin
Preparation
- In a stand mixer, add warm water, white sugar, and yeast. Let sit until foamy.
- Add flour and salt and mix until dough pulls from the walls of the bowl. Cover and place in fridge overnight.
- Pull chilled dough onto a floured surface and roll to make an 8×16-inch rectangle. Spread fat on the center of the dough and then fold the outside of the dough in.
- Roll the folded dough to the same 8×16-inch shape, then fold it again. Place in fridge for 1 hour. Be sure to keep the fat cold and in a distinct layer. This is key to proper lamination. Repeat this process two more times, being sure to refrigerate after each fold.
- Roll out the dough a final time to about 1/4-inch thick. Cut into rectangles about that are about 3×6-inch. Place two to three chocolate squares in each rectangle and roll them up. Place the pastries on a non-stick cookie sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to proof for approximately 1 hour.
- Brush with egg wash and place in a 425-degree oven for 18 minutes, or until golden brown.
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Chef’s notes
Black bear grease is as versatile as it gets. Meat, hide, skull, and claws are nice, but it’s that beautiful liquid gold I get most excited about.
Rendered bear fat is stable, mild, and useful—akin to typical shortening. It can be used in the same manner. I like it for biscuits, cookies, pie crusts, fried food, and of course, pastries. The mild, bear fat flavor also makes it a perfect candidate for chocolate croissants.
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cup bread flour
- 1 cup water
- 1 tbsp. dry yeast
- 1 tbsp. white sugar
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup rendered bear fat (or butter), kept cold
- 2 full-sized dark chocolate bars
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/4 cup water for egg wash
Also works with
Pork lard, butter
Special equipment
Rolling pin
Preparation
- In a stand mixer, add warm water, white sugar, and yeast. Let sit until foamy.
- Add flour and salt and mix until dough pulls from the walls of the bowl. Cover and place in fridge overnight.
- Pull chilled dough onto a floured surface and roll to make an 8×16-inch rectangle. Spread fat on the center of the dough and then fold the outside of the dough in.
- Roll the folded dough to the same 8×16-inch shape, then fold it again. Place in fridge for 1 hour. Be sure to keep the fat cold and in a distinct layer. This is key to proper lamination. Repeat this process two more times, being sure to refrigerate after each fold.
- Roll out the dough a final time to about 1/4-inch thick. Cut into rectangles about that are about 3×6-inch. Place two to three chocolate squares in each rectangle and roll them up. Place the pastries on a non-stick cookie sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to proof for approximately 1 hour.
- Brush with egg wash and place in a 425-degree oven for 18 minutes, or until golden brown.