Pain au Chocolat
Buttery, flaky French pastry with melted chocolate bars hidden inside—crispy exterior, tender interior. A classic French breakfast pastry that's easier to make than it looks.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Servings
- 8
- Calories
- 425
- Protein
- 6g
Ingredients
- 2.5 cups All-purpose flour
- ¾ cup Whole milk, warm
- 2 tablespoons Granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon Fine sea salt
- 2.25 teaspoons Instant yeast
- 1 cup Unsalted butter, cold, cubed
- 8 ounces Bittersweet chocolate bars (such as Lindt or Ghirardelli)
- 1 whole Egg, for egg wash
Instructions
- 1
Pour 0.75 cup of warm milk (about 110°F on an instant-read thermometer) into a large mixing bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar, 0.75 teaspoon of fine sea salt, and 2.25 teaspoons of instant yeast. Stir together and let sit for 2 minutes until the yeast is fully dissolved and foamy.
- 2
Add 2.5 cups of all-purpose flour to the yeast mixture. Using a wooden spoon or your hands, stir until a shaggy dough forms — don't knead yet. The dough should look rough and slightly sticky.
- 3
Cut 1 cup of cold unsalted butter into 0.5-inch cubes — keep them cold by returning to the refrigerator if they warm up. This cold butter is essential for creating the flaky laminated layers.
- 4
Break apart the shaggy dough and distribute the cold butter cubes throughout it, then knead everything together on a lightly floured work surface for about 5 minutes. You're aiming for a semi-shaggy dough with visible butter chunks still showing — don't fully incorporate the butter yet. It should feel cool to the touch.
- 5
Form the dough into a rough rectangle about 6 by 8 inches, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or up to overnight). This rest allows the butter to firm up and the gluten to relax.
- 6
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place it on a lightly floured work surface. Using a rolling pin, roll it out into a rectangle approximately 12 by 16 inches — work gently and evenly, letting the dough relax if it begins to spring back too much. The goal is to flatten the butter into thin sheets, which creates the lamination.
- 7
Fold the dough into thirds like a letter: fold one of the 12-inch sides one-third of the way toward the center, then fold the opposite side over it. You now have three layers stacked on top of each other. Turn the folded dough 90 degrees (so a short edge faces you) and wrap it in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 45 minutes.
- 8
Repeat the rolling and folding process one more time: roll the dough into a 12-by-16-inch rectangle, fold it into thirds like a letter, rotate it 90 degrees, wrap, and refrigerate for 45 minutes again. This second fold-and-turn creates additional flaky layers.
- 9
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 0.125 inches (1/8 inch) thick and roughly 10 by 16 inches. If the dough resists, let it rest for 5 minutes and try again.
- 10
Using a sharp knife or pastry cutter, cut the dough into 8 rectangles, each roughly 4 by 5 inches. You want a clean cut without dragging, so use a single swift motion and wipe the blade between cuts.
- 11
Cut the 8 ounces of bittersweet chocolate into 16 pieces (about 0.5 ounces each) — aim for pieces roughly the size of a AA battery. Lay one piece of chocolate horizontally across the center of each dough rectangle, then lay a second piece parallel to the first, leaving a small gap between them.
- 12
Roll up each rectangle tightly starting from one long edge and rolling away from you, wrapping the dough around the chocolate bars. Pinch the seam closed with your fingertips so the chocolate doesn't escape during baking. Place each pastry seam-side down on two parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- 13
Cover the baking sheets loosely with plastic wrap and let the pastries proof at room temperature for 1.5 to 2 hours — they should increase in volume by about one-third and feel pillowy to the touch. You'll notice them rise noticeably, but they shouldn't double in size.
- 14
About 15 minutes before baking, preheat your oven to 400°F. Set the rack to the middle position. Crack 1 egg into a small bowl, add 1 tablespoon of water, and whisk together with a fork until smooth. This is your egg wash.
- 15
Brush the top and sides of each pain au chocolat generously with the egg wash — use a pastry brush and be thorough, as this creates a beautiful golden-brown, shiny finish. Don't let it pool at the base, or it will cause the bottom to brown unevenly.
- 16
Place the baking sheets in the preheated 400°F oven. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until the pastries are deep golden brown on top and a bit darker at the edges — you want a crispy exterior. Rotate the sheets halfway through baking if your oven has hot spots.
- 17
Remove the pastries from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. This brief rest allows the chocolate to set slightly and makes them easier to handle. The pastries will continue to crisp as they cool. Serve warm or at room temperature — they're best eaten fresh on the day they're baked, but leftovers keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Tools you’ll need
- Large mixing bowl
- Wooden spoon
- Instant-read thermometer
- Work surface
- Plastic wrap
- Rolling pin
- Sharp knife or pastry cutter
- Two baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Small bowl
- Fork
- Pastry brush
- Oven
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