Chocolate Croissants (Pain Au Chocolat)

Do you have a sweet tooth and love baking? Look no further because the perfect recipe has arrived! Every French bakery you’ve ever been to probably had one thing in common – the sweet, buttery, and flaky chocolate croissants. These delightful pastries have a melt-in-your-mouth texture and intense chocolate flavor that will make them a regular in your home. Whether you’re a cooking expert or a novice, this article will give you the guidance and confidence you need to become the ultimate chocolatier!

Ingredients

Method

Note: You will need room in your refrigerator for 2 baking sheets. This is a time consuming recipe, so plan accordingly.

In a stand mixer with the dough hook attached, add the 1/4 cup of butter, flour, sugar, salt,and yeast.

Mix on medium low for 1 minute.

Add the 1 1/2 cups of milk and increase to medium speed and mix for 5 minutes or until the dough pulls away from the bowl.

Remove dough and form it into a ball. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet, flatten slightly, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Remove dough and roll into a 14×10 rectangle on a lightly floured surface.

Place back on baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 4-24 hours.

in a large bowl, add the 1 1/2 cups of butter and 2 tbsp of flour and mix with a hand mixer until smooth.

Spread butter out on a parchment lined baking sheet into a 7×10 rectangle and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Remove both the dough and butter from the refrigerator.

Place the butter layer on top of the dough in the Center and fold each end of the dough over it and seal as best you can.

Roll the dough out into a 10×20 rectangle on a lightly floured surface.

Fold dough lengthwise, like a letter, by thirds.

Roll dough again into a 10×20 rectangle, starting with short end facing you and again fold by thirds, like a letter.

Roll once more into a 10×20 rectangle, fold by thirds, yes, like a letter, place on parchment lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 4-24 hours.

Remove dough from refrigerator and roll into a 8×20 rectangle on a lightly floured surface.

Cut dough in half to form 2 4×20 rectangles.

Cut each rectangle into 4 equal 4×5 pieces for a total of 8.

Cut each rectangle in half lengthwise so you’ll have 16 2×5 rectangles.

Stretch each rectangle out to 8 inches long.

Place a layer of chocolate at the end and roll up tightly.

You can double the chocolate if you like, roll a little bit then add another strip of chocolate.

repeat with the rest of your dough, placing 8 rolls per a parchment lined baking sheet.

Cover with plastic wrap, let rest for 1 hour, then refrigerate for 1-12 hours.

Note: At this point you can freeze the rolls for up to two months. Just thaw before baking.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Whisk the egg with the 2 tbsp of milk and brush each roll lightly.

Bake for for 20 minutes, switching the pans positions halfway through baking.

Let cool and them eat warm.