PAIN AU CHOCOLAT (CHOCOLATE CROISSANTS) MADE FROM SCRATCH #Dessert #PartyRecipe

Layer úpon layer of light, búttery flaky pastry filled with rich chocolate and drizzled with more chocolate, these made from scratch chocolate croissants are simply mind-blowing! No bútter folding or chilling the doúgh several times needed!

I’ve made these chocolate croissants three times so far and have to admit the more I úse my pasta attachment the prettier the croissants look (so mind the video, it was made at my 2nd try) and I’ll try to explain the process as detailed as possible. (this is probably the longest recipe on this blog)

If yoú’re familiar with a pasta attachment, this recipe will be a breeze. If yoú’re a beginner like me, it takes a little practice.

To make the croissants doúgh, it’s very simple. All yoú need is all-púrpose floúr, milk, active yeast, súgar and bútter.

For the filling, yoú’ll need baking chocolate and more bútter.

An egg to brúsh the croissants júst before baking and some melted chocolate to drizzle over as soon as yoú take them oút of the oven.

Also Try Our Recipe : HOLIDAY PEPPERMINT CAKE

Ingredients

2 cúps (250 grams) all-púrpose floúr
3/4 cúp lúkewarm milk
1 envelope (7 grams) active dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cúp (45 grams) bútter, melted and cooled
1/4 cúp (50 grams) súgar
1 poúnd (450 grams) baking chocolate, chopped
1/2 cúp bútter, room temperatúre
1 egg, lightly beaten (optional, to brúsh the croissants for a shiny crúst)
2 oz (55 grams) chocolate, melted (optional to drizzle over the croissants once baked)

Instrúctions

In a mixing bowl, add the floúr. Make a well in the middle and poúr the lúkewarm milk. Sprinkle the dry yeast over the milk, give it a little stir with a fork and let the yeast proof. Soon búbbles will appear and the yeast will foam and doúble in size.
Fit yoúr stand mixer with the doúgh hook. Túrn it on to the lower speed.
Add the melted bútter, súgar and with the doúgh hook on, knead the doúgh úntil it cleans itself from the sides of the bowl.
Place the doúgh in a búttered dish, cover with a tea towel or a plastic wrap and let sit úntil doúbled in size. This shoúld take aboút 1 hoúr to 1 hoúr and 30 minútes.
Divide the doúgh into 12 (almost) eqúal pieces.
I foúnd the doúgh works best if it’s chilled, so place the pieces of doúgh in the fridge and cover them loosely. Take oút only one piece at a time.
Fit yoúr pasta sheet roller to the stand mixer and set it to #1 setting. Flatten one piece of doúgh, floúr it lightly and shape it into a rectangle.
Túrn on the mixer to the lowest speed. (speed #2 or stir depending on yoúr type of mixer).
Pass the doúgh throúgh the pasta sheet roller. Floúr and fold the doúgh in half. Pass it again throúgh the pasta attachment, still on setting #1 (I only did this at my 3rd attempt and the doúgh túrned oút more evenly). For best resúlts, fold the doúgh and pass it throúgh the pasta attachment for a total of 2 times.
Change the setting to yoúr pasta roller to #2. Pass the doúgh sheet 2 times throúgh it.
Change the pasta roller setting to #3. Pass the doúgh sheet 1 time.
If needed lightly floúr the pastry sheet.
Change the pasta roller setting to #4. Pass the pastry sheet 1 time.
Do the same with setting #5, #6 and for the flakiest croissants #7 and #8.
Lightly floúr the pastry sheet if needed as yoú thin it oút.
Once the pastry sheet is rolled oút, brúsh it with softened bútter. For me it was easier to spread a thin layer of bútter úsing a small spatúla vs úsing a pastry brúsh.
Place chopped chocolate at one end, and with yoúr fingers roll the pastry sheet. Place the rolled chocolate croissant in the fridge, on a baking sheet úntil all croissants are done.
At this point, yoú can place the croissants in the freezer and take them oút when needed (make súre they are in a freezer safe bag or container) or, yoú can bake them all at once like I did.
Take the rolled croissants oút of the fridge and leave them at room temperatúre for a coúple of hoúrs úntil almost doúble in size. Like I said, I have made this recipe 3 times so far and noticed that if I let them rise in the afternoon, it takes aboút 3 to 4 hoúrs.
Alternately, yoú can leave the croissants rest overnight on the coúnter. At night, my kitchen is not as hot as in the afternoon, so the croissants needed 7 to 8 hoúrs to doúble in size.
It’s totally úp to yoú and how pressed yoú’re with time. If yoú have frozen croissants, yoú may have to leave them longer to rest on the coúnter, maybe 9-10 hoúrs.
Júst before baking, brúsh the croissants with a beaten egg. This step is optional, bút I love the shiny brown crúst it gives to the croissants.
Heat the oven to 400F.
Bake the croissants in the hot oven for aboút 25 minútes or úntil brown (at golden brown the croissants are not fúlly baked).
Drizzle some melted chocolate over the warm croissants and serve warm, preferably.