Introduction
Croissant is one of the most popular flaky pastries in the world, made from wheat flour, butter, sugar and yeast. However, high consumption of refined wheat flour can cause health problems such as fiber and mineral deficiencies. The use of fermented legumes (fermentation process to reduce anti-nutritional factors such as phytates) can be a good source of protein, fiber and antioxidants. This study investigated for the first time the mixing of wheat flour with 10-30% fermented legumes in the production of croissants.
Materials and methods
Fermentation of legumes Legumes (bran, kidney beans, white beans and lentils) were soaked in water for 24 hours and then fermented with the bacterium Lactobacillus plantarum. They were then dried and ground.
Croissant formula 100% wheat flour (control) + 10, 20 or 30% replacement with fermented legumes. Other ingredients: 50% butter, 10% sugar, 1.5% salt, 2% yeast.
Production process
Dough mixing
Layering (4 folds to create 81 layers)
Shaping and final proofing (90 min at 28°C)
Baking at 180°C for 15 min
Measurements
Specific volume (rapeseed displacement method)
Crust color (with colorimeter)
Texture (with TPA)
Oil absorption (Soxhlet)
Sensory test (20 panelists)
Results and discussion
1. Specific volume (Table 1) The croissant with 20% fermented red beans had the highest volume (5.8 ml/g). An increase of more than 30% caused a decrease in volume because the legume proteins weakened the gluten structure. 2. The crust color of the croissants containing fermented legumes was more golden and attractive due to the higher sugars from fermentation (L* = 68.4, a* = 18.2, b* = 38.1).
3. Texture and crispness (Figure 2) The addition of 20% fermented legumes reduced the crust hardness and increased the crispness of the layers (breaking force 8.4 N).
4. Oil absorption The croissants containing fermented legumes had lower oil absorption (19.3% compared to 24.1% in the control sample) due to the increased water-holding capacity of the legume fibers.
5. Sensory test: Overall score of 8.7 out of 9 for the croissant with 20% red beans – the highest score.
Conclusion
Replacing 20% of wheat flour with fermented legumes (especially red beans) can improve the quality of the croissant and produce a healthier product. This method can be used in the bakery and confectionery industry to produce products enriched with protein and fiber.
