Homemade Chocolate Croissants (Pain au Chocolat)

13h 10m
Serves 16
https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/homemade-chocolate-croissants/

Directions

  1. 1Make room in the refrigerator for a baking sheet.
  2. 2Cut the butter into four 1-Tablespoon slices and place in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment.
  3. 3Add the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast to the mixer.
  4. 4Turn the mixer on low-medium speed to gently combine ingredients for 1 minute.
  5. 5With the mixer running, slowly pour in the milk.
  6. 6Once all milk is added, turn the mixer up to medium speed and begin to knead the dough.
  7. 7Keep the dough in the mixer and beat for an additional 5 full minutes, or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 5 full minutes.
  8. 8If the dough becomes too sticky, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of flour at a time on the dough or work surface/in the bowl.
  9. 9After kneading, the dough should still feel a little soft and slowly bounce back when poked.
  10. 10Remove dough from the bowl and, with floured hands, work it into a ball.
  11. 11Place the dough on a lightly floured silicone baking mat lined, lightly floured parchment paper lined, or lightly floured baking sheet.
  12. 12Gently flatten the dough out, and cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
  13. 13Place the entire baking sheet in the refrigerator and allow the covered dough to rest for 30 minutes.
  14. 14Remove the dough from the refrigerator.
  15. 15Begin flattening out the dough with your hands.
  16. 16Roll the dough into a 14x10-inch rectangle, ensuring precise measurement.
  17. 17Place the rolled out dough back onto the baking sheet.
  18. 18Cover the rolled out dough with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
  19. 19Place the entire baking sheet in the refrigerator and allow the covered dough to rest for 4 hours or overnight (up to 24 hours is ok).
  20. 20In a large bowl, beat the butter and flour together using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment until smooth and combined.
  21. 21Transfer the mixture to a silicone baking mat lined or parchment paper lined baking sheet.
  22. 22Using a spoon or small spatula, smooth the butter mixture into a 7x10-inch rectangle.
  23. 23Place the entire baking sheet in the refrigerator and chill the butter layer for 30 minutes.
  24. 24Remove both the dough and butter layers from the refrigerator.
  25. 25Place the butter layer in the center of the dough and fold each end of the dough over it.
  26. 26If the butter wasn’t an exact 7x10-inch rectangle, use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to even out the edges.
  27. 27Seal the dough edges over the butter layer with your fingers.
  28. 28On a lightly floured counter, roll the dough into a 10x20-inch rectangle, rolling back and forth with the shorter end facing you.
  29. 29Fold the dough lengthwise into thirds as if you were folding a letter (1st turn).
  30. 30If the dough is too warm after the 1st turn, place folded dough on the baking sheet, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes before the 2nd turn.
  31. 31Turn the dough so the short end is facing you.
  32. 32Roll the dough out once again into a 10x20-inch rectangle.
  33. 33Fold the dough lengthwise into thirds as if you were folding a letter (2nd turn).
  34. 34Place the folded dough on the baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and refrigerate for 30 minutes before the 3rd turn.
  35. 35Roll the dough out once again into a 10x20-inch rectangle.
  36. 36Fold the dough lengthwise into thirds as if you were folding a letter (3rd turn).
  37. 37Place the folded dough on the lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight (up to 24 hours is ok).
  38. 38Prepare 2 baking sheets lined with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
  39. 39Remove the dough from the refrigerator.
  40. 40On a lightly floured counter, roll the dough out into an 8x20-inch rectangle.
  41. 41Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, slice the dough in half vertically, creating two 4-inch wide rectangles.
  42. 42Cut 3 even slices horizontally, yielding 8 4x5-inch rectangles.
  43. 43Cut each 4x5-inch rectangle in half lengthwise, resulting in 16 2x5-inch rectangles.
  44. 44Work with one rectangle at a time.
  45. 45Using your fingers or a rolling pin, gently stretch each rectangle to be about 8 inches long.
  46. 46Place a few small pieces of chocolate in a single layer at one end.
  47. 47Tightly roll the dough up around the chocolate, ensuring the end is on the bottom.
  48. 48Repeat with remaining dough, placing shaped croissants on 2 lined baking sheets, 8 per sheet.
  49. 49Loosely cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
  50. 50Allow shaped croissants to rest at room temperature for 1 hour.
  51. 51Place shaped croissants in the refrigerator to rest for 1 hour or up to 12 hours.
  52. 52Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
  53. 53Whisk the egg wash ingredients together (1 large egg, 2 Tablespoons whole milk).
  54. 54Remove the croissants from the refrigerator.
  55. 55Brush each croissant lightly with egg wash.
  56. 56Bake until croissants are golden brown, about 20 minutes.
  57. 57Rotate the pans halfway through baking.
  58. 58If croissants darken too quickly, reduce the oven to 375°F (190°C).
  59. 59Remove chocolate croissants from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for a few minutes before serving.
  60. 60If desired, dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving.

Ingredients

  • 0.25 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more for rolling/shaping
  • 0.25 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 Tablespoon active dry or instant yeast
  • 1.5 cups cold whole milk
  • 4 ounce bar semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
  • confectioners’ sugar for dusting
  • 1.5 cups unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 Tablespoons whole milk

Equipment

electric stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachmenthandheld mixerbaking sheetplastic wrapaluminum foilsilicone baking matparchment paperrolling pinpizza cuttersharp knifewire rackhand-held mixerstand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachmentspoonsmall spatulapastry brush

Tips

  • The croissant dough must remain cold and requires a lot of resting.
  • Croissant dough should be soft and slightly tacky after kneading.
  • If the dough becomes too sticky during kneading, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of flour at a time.
  • Do not add more flour than needed to avoid dry dough.
  • To test if dough is kneaded enough, poke it with a finger: if it slowly bounces back, it's ready.
  • You can perform a “windowpane test” to check dough elasticity.
  • When rolling dough, using a silicone baking mat is recommended for non-stick properties and measurement guidance.
  • For laminating, roll dough on a lightly floured counter as it's cooler and larger than a silicone mat.
  • Seal dough edges over the butter layer as best as possible.
  • The dough is very cold during rolling, requiring arm strength.
  • Dough will want to be oval shaped, continuously work with hands and rolling pin to maintain rectangle.
  • Refrigerate dough between the 2nd and 3rd turns as it has been worked a lot.
  • Gently stretch each rectangle to 8 inches long without flattening the layers.
  • Tightly roll the dough around the chocolate, ensuring the end is on the bottom.
  • Shaped croissants should be cold before baking to prevent spreading.
  • Rotate pans halfway through baking for even browning.
  • If croissants darken too quickly, reduce oven temperature.
  • Croissants taste best the same day they're baked.
  • Leftover croissants can be stored at room temperature for a few days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
  • Croissants can be frozen for up to 3 months; thaw on counter or in refrigerator.
  • You can freeze the dough after the 3rd turn in lamination for up to 3 months.
  • You can freeze shaped croissants after room temperature rest for up to 1 month; thaw completely before baking.
  • For chocolate, use thin baking bars like Ghirardelli for neat rolling.
  • Always ensure dough is cold; if it warms, refrigerate for 20 minutes.
  • Lightly flour work surface, hands, dough, and rolling pin as you work.
  • Pop any air bubbles in the dough with fingers or a toothpick, then lightly flour the popped area.
  • For brunch, start the recipe the day before, completing steps 1-10 and refrigerating laminated dough overnight (step 11). Begin step 13 2-3 hours before brunch.

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