Porto-Style Brioche Croissant — Jeremiah Duarte Bills' Version
This Portuguese Baking School formula, adapted by Jeremiah Duarte Bills from Alexandre Mota, documents the brioche croissant associated with Porto and now widespread across Portugal. Unlike a French laminated croissant, it receives butter in a simple fold and, after baking, a cinnamon, orange and Port syrup.
- Yields
- 8 large croissants
- Prep
- About 3 hours, including two rises and a 15–20 minute rest
- Cook
- About 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 157 g / 2/3 cup Water for the dough
- 50 g / 3 tbsp plus 1 tsp Whole milk
- 2 3/4 tsp Instant yeast
- 50 g / 1/4 cup Sugar for the dough
- 50 g / 1 large egg Egg for the dough
- 19 g / 1 large yolk Egg yolk for the dough
- 65 g / 2.3 oz in the list; the method incorporates 56 g and does not account for the remaining 9 g Unsalted butter, softened, for the dough
- 500 g / 4 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp Fine sea salt
- 113 g / 1/2 cup Unsalted butter, softened, for spreading
- 50 g / 1 large egg Egg for the wash
- 1 pinch Salt for the wash
- 1 tsp Water for the wash
- 118 g / 1/2 cup Water for the syrup
- 50 g / 1/4 cup Sugar for the syrup
- 1 Cinnamon stick
- from 1/2 orange Orange peel
- 1 pinch Salt for the syrup
- 1 tbsp Port wine
Method
Warm the water and milk to 38–43°C / 100–110°F. Mix in the yeast and sugar and leave for 5 minutes.
Add the egg, yolk, 56 g of the butter listed for the dough, flour and salt. Knead with a dough hook for 12–14 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
Cover and rise for about 1 hour, until doubled. Roll to a rectangle approximately 58 × 30 cm / 23 × 12 in and 5 mm / 0.2 in thick.
Spread the 113 g butter over two-thirds of the dough. Fold the unbuttered third into the centre and cover it with the remaining third, like a letter. Rest for 15–20 minutes.
Roll again to about 23 × 56 cm / 9 × 22 in. Trim the ends and cut eight triangles with bases about 13 cm / 5 in wide.
Gently lengthen each triangle, make a small cut at the centre of its base, spread the ends and roll towards the tip. Place seam-side down and proof for about 1 hour.
Heat the oven to 180°C / 350°F. Beat the wash egg with the salt and water, brush the croissants and bake for about 15 minutes, until golden; the source gives an internal temperature of 88–93°C / 190–200°F.
While they bake, boil the syrup water, sugar, cinnamon, orange peel and salt for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the Port and brush the hot croissants generously.
Sources for this recipe
The quantities and method were checked against the references below. Family recipes may vary; where no single official formula exists, we present a representative practical version and say so plainly.
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