I made croissants again this weekend. I cannot emphasize how difficult I find the shaping. Many pastries require lamination, a technique where the dough is folded over itself and then cooled. The folds create layers within the dough and the cooling prevents the dough from melding together (as does the additional fat which literally lubricates the gluten strands and prevents them from joining). You'll notice that the only breads that have distinct layers are fatty breads.

Anyway, this was probably my best croissant effort in regards to technique. They tasted great and the laminations were distinct. I did a double egg wash (once before the proof and once before the bake) and it really helped their color. Also, I fermented the whole dough, instead of using a preferment and then adding it to the dough later on. I don't know what effect butter and sugar has on fermenting dough, but the final result was tasty.

Idea: can I retard proofed croissants overnight and bake them right out of the fridge? Might be time to find out.