Lemon-Blueberry Croissants

The combination of rich blueberry and tangy lemon in these Blueberry Lemon Croissants is next level - the whole wheat dough is laminated with blueberry compound butter (yes, blueberries in the butter!) and gets an extra blue tint from @selefina.spices Butterfly Pea Flower powder. Rolled up in the middle is lemon cream cheese. It's a breakfast experience like no other!

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Is there anything more summery than the combination of lemon and berries? I personally love adding lemon to anything, and these croissants that were inspired by Pinterest are a prime example.

There’s something truly magical about the process of making croissants. It's a long process, but a very therapeutic one. The finished pastries are works of art, but like all baking that art is rooted in science. I read once that flaky dough like croissants and puff pastry is where "patience meets precision", which I love but also laugh at - I don't usually have either!

The magic begins with a compound butter infused with blueberries, lemon zest, and a touch of butterfly pea flower powder from Selefina Spices. The blueberries add a mix of sweet and tart all on their own, which gets boosted with a hint of icing sugar and some bright lemon zest. The butterfly pea flower powder turns a vibrant purple in the presence of the acid from the blueberries and makes the colour of the butter (and thus the rest of the pastry) a gorgeous indigo. What I love about this butter is that you can make it and freeze it for when you have a craving for croissants!

The filling is just as delicious - and we definitely used leftovers on bagels! Cream cheese gets a hefty dose of lemon zest and a touch of lemon juice before getting slightly sweetened. When the croissants bake, this filling melts into the centre of each pastry, creating pockets of deliciousness. 

 Making the actual croissant dough is a labour of love... these are not something you'll enjoy the same day! The croissants look complex, but honestly, the process is really quite simple when it comes down to it. I followed the visual guide here when I first started making croissants, and it helped immensely! As long as you keep the dough cool, and chill between folding sessions, you won't have a problem with getting the butter into those layers.

I guarantee, if you like blueberries and lemon, these croissants will be a hit - the aroma coming from the oven as they baked smelled like the best blueberry pie you can imagine, and while waiting for them to cool feels like ages, the payoff is worth it!  

Lemon-Blueberry Croissants

Makes 12

 
Lamination
1 cup high-fat, unsalted butter

2/3 cup blueberries, fresh (or thawed and drained if frozen)
3 tbsp icing sugar

zest of 1 lemon
1⁄2 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp Butterfly Pea Flower powder
2 tbsp rice flour or cornstarch

Filling 
8 oz cream cheese (block style), softened

1 tbsp icing sugar

zest of 1 lemon

1 tsp lemon juice

Dough
2 1⁄2 cups whole wheat bread flour
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour, plus some for dusting
1 tbsp sugar
1⁄2 tbsp salt

1⁄2 tbsp instant yeast (I used SAF Gold)
1 cup warm, unsweetened soy milk (or other milk - soy makes for a better rise)

 

Lamination:

1. In a food processor, pulse together the lamination ingredients until a homogeneous mixture forms. 
2. Scrape butter mixture into a 6" square pan (or in a rough 6" square on a sheet tray) and freeze.
3. This step can be done well in advance - I did it with summer blueberries and made these in the winter!

Filling: 

1. Beat together the filling ingredients until well mixed. 
2. Roll or pipe 12 "logs" of the cream cheese mixture onto a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze at least 8 hours.
3. Again, this can be done well ahead if needed!

Croissants:

1. Take the butter block out of the freezer, unmould and let stand at room temperature while you make the dough.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook (or in a large bowl with a wooden spoon) combine the flours, sugar, salt, yeast and milk. 
3. Mix to form a soft, smooth and elastic dough. In my stand mixer this took about 8 minutes on medium low speed. Add flour only to reach a non-sticky consistency, you don't want this dry!
4. Cover bowl and let rest for 30 minutes.
5. Roll out the rested dough into a large square (as thin as possible) on a well-floured countertop.
6. Place the lamination block in the centre of the square but perpendicular, so it looks like a diamond., leaving a wide (at least 2") border on all sides.
7. Bring the pointed corners of the dough together into the lamination mixture to enclose it, pinching the seams together. 
8. Carefully squash down the butter / dough and roll out the dough into a rectangle. Make a letter-fold from the short side. If any lamination pokes out through the dough, dust with more flour and pat it in.
9. Squash the butter / dough down again and fold the dough in half into a tight square. 
10. Wrap and place in the freezer for 30 minutes.
    
11. Repeat steps 8-9 twice more
12. Roll dough into a final, thick rectangle. Wrap and chill overnight in the fridge.
13. The next morning, roll out the dough as thin as possible into a long rectangle on a well-floured surface.
14. Cut triangles with a ruler and pizza wheel. I found it easiest to cut 6 rectangles and cut those into triangles. 
15. Place a log of the cream cheese mixture on the base of one of the dough triangles and roll up, enclosing it. Place point-side down on a parchment lined baking sheet.
16. Repeat with remaining filling and dough.
17. Cover tray loosely with plastic and let proof for 1 hour.
18. Heat the oven to 425F.
19. Bake croissants for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350F and bake another 17 minutes, until crusty and easily lift-able from the paper.
20. Cool completely on a rack.