Sneaking a Taste: My Real-Life Introduction to Pain au Chocolat
Alright, let’s get this out of the way—I’m a total sucker for anything with flaky pastry and way too much chocolate. I remember the first time I tried pain au chocolat; I was, let’s say, much younger, on a chilly morning in Paris (which sounds fancy, but I was actually jetlagged, half-lost, and hungry enough to eat road gravel). Anyway, I bought a pain au chocolat from a tiny bakery, and that combo of buttery dough and melted chocolate basically rearranged my taste buds for life. Ever since, I try to make these at home when I want to feel like I have my life together. Or just when I need something chocolatey, which, let’s be real, is more often than I’ll admit.
Why I Keep Coming Back to This
I make this when I’ve had one of those weeks. My family goes wild for them—especially my teenage son, who swears he needs at least four just “for breakfast energy.” (Sure.) And honestly, even when my croissant shaping turns out a bit, um, creative, nobody cares once they see warm chocolate spilling out. Sometimes I get all wild and use dark chocolate, sometimes milk; both ways work, though once I tried white chocolate and, well, let’s say the crowd did not give a standing ovation.
What’s Going Into These – The Stuff You Need
- 2 1/4 cups (280g) all-purpose flour (I sometimes swap in bread flour when I’m feeling ambitious, but regular works just fine.)
- 2 tablespoons sugar (Granulated, but in a pinch, I’ve used brown sugar—nobody noticed the difference.)
- 1 teaspoon salt (My grandmother insisted you had to use sea salt. Any old salt will do at home though.)
- 1 packet instant yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons; I’ve definitely forgotten to check the expiry date before and still survived.)
- 3/4 cup (180ml) milk, slightly warmed (Whole’s delicious but whatever’s in the fridge honestly)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup (225g) cold unsalted butter, for laminating (Don’t ask me why, but putting it between two sheets of wax paper and whacking it with a rolling pin is weirdly satisfying)
- 4-6 ounces chocolate batons or chopped good chocolate (I use whatever leftover bars I find, even chocolate chips in a pinch. My friend swears by Lindt, but supermarket chocolate works too.)
- 1 egg, beaten (for brushing, but let’s be honest, I’ve just used a little milk a few times)
How I Actually Make These (You Don’t Have to Be a Pro)
- Mix the Dough. Toss your flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in a big bowl. Give it a quick swirl with a spoon. Add melted butter and warm milk. Mix until it (sort of) comes together – it’ll still look a bit messy. If it’s really sticky, sprinkle a touch more flour.
- Knead and Chill. Plop dough out onto a floured counter. Knead for a couple mins—don’t stress about technique. Wrap it up, let it chill in the fridge for about 45 minutes. I usually use this time to make some tea and hide from my kids.
- Laminating Time (Butter Smackdown!) Roll your cold butter between parchment or wax paper into a thin-ish rectangle, about the size of a paperback (best analogy I’ve got, sorry). Roll out the dough too, make it double the size of your butter slab. Drop the butter slab in the middle, fold the dough over it envelope-style. Now roll into a long rectangle and fold into thirds (like a boring business letter). Chill for 30 min. Repeat this roll, fold, chill jazz two more times—I usually get some chocolate on my hands and kitchen at this point.
- Shape the Croissants. Roll the dough out into a big rectangle, maybe 1/4 inch thick—don’t stress exactitude. Slice rectangles (mine are never even, so don’t fret). Plop a baton or two of chocolate toward one end and roll up, giving it a gentle tuck. Place seam-down on a lined tray. Marvel at your wonky shapes.
- Proof. Cover loosely and let them puff up somewhere warm (I use my ‘turned off’ oven, not that it always works) for 1-2 hours—they should get puffy, but probably not double.
- Bake! Brush with egg wash (or milk, whatever). Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 15-20 minutes until gloriously golden. This is where I hover anxiously but also sneak a bit of chocolate, too hot or not.
My Hard-Earned Notes (Learned the Messy Way)
- If your dough tears a bit during rolling, just patch it—never fails for me, and nobody notices after baking.
- Actually, chilling between folds really does matter, even though I pretend it doesn’t when I’m hungry.
- I tried skimping on the resting time once. Regretted it. Soggy weirdness. So, patience (blech) is good here.
- On second thought, I like using darker chocolate over sweeter, but that’s just my taste buds. Experiment!
Variations I’ve Played Around With
- Tried almond paste inside once—too sweet for me but my cousin nearly cried from happiness.
- Mini pains au chocolat: Just cut the dough smaller! (Though honestly, they vanish even faster.)
- That white chocolate experiment…eh, not my proudest bake. Maybe you’ll like it though?
- Sometimes, I sprinkle a little flaky salt on top pre-bake. Salty chocolate for the win.
What Gadgets Do You Really Need? (Or Not?)
You know those fancy rolling pins chefs love? Well, I use a wine bottle when mine’s buried in the back of the cupboard. Works fine—plus, bonus wine. If you don’t have parchment, butter your tray well. Oh, and pastry brush? Fingers work in a pinch. Not posh but hey, gets the job done.
Storing These Beauties (Assuming They Last!)
Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days, but let’s be honest, mine never last more than a day. If you somehow end up with leftovers (what?!), a quick zap in the toaster oven makes them almost fresh again. Fridge makes them tough, so I’d skip that unless you absolutely have to.
My Way to Serve ‘Em Up
Best with big mugs of coffee or, for my kids, hot chocolate. Sunday mornings, we pile these next to some fruit and call it “a balanced breakfast” (which might be stretching the truth, but it sounds better right?). I like mine still slightly warm—chocolate oozing and pastry falling everywhere. Big napkins are kind of mandatory. Or just eat over the sink and save yourself the hassle.
Lessons from Past Failures (So You Don’t Have To)
- Don’t skip the chilling or the butter just melts right out. I tried shortcutting this and basically invented a new kind of pancake-croissant hybrid (not in a good way).
- Roll gently; I mashed mine once and ended up with oddly chewy pastry. No thanks.
- Egg wash feels optional, but it really makes the crust all shiny and bakery-looking (which distracts from any shaping mistakes).
Answers to Stuff People Actually Ask Me
- Can I use store-bought puff pastry?
Absolutely, mate. It’s not quite the same, but if you’re time-poor (or just can’t face dough), no judgement here. Just cut, stuff with chocolate, bake. Bosh. - How do you get them really flaky?
Honestly, I think it’s the chilling! And patience, which is, let’s say, not my strong suit, but worth it anyway. - Do I have to use egg wash?
Nah. Milk or even a bit of melted butter works. Or nothing, though they’ll look paler. - What if my butter leaks?
Oi, don’t sweat it. Happens to everyone! Sometimes I tighten up the roll, or chill it more. End of the day, leaked butter just means crispier bottoms. - Can I make them the night before?
You can shape and chill overnight, then bake first thing. Makes mornings about 90% more magical (just have the coffee on standby… trust me).
Bit of a tangent, but if you ever find yourself with leftover bits of this dough and a lonely piece of cheese, try wrapping it up and baking—chef’s snack, I’m telling you. Anyway, pain au chocolat—more comforting than a rainy afternoon in April. Hope you love it, flaky mishaps and all.
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
- 3/4 cup warm milk
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cold
- 1 large egg, beaten (for egg wash)
- 4 oz dark chocolate, cut into sticks
Instructions
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1In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Add warm milk and mix until a dough forms. Knead until smooth. Cover and let rise for 1 hour.
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2Roll dough into a rectangle. Slice butter and place onto two-thirds of the dough. Fold and roll out 3 times to create layers, chilling the dough in between.
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3Roll the dough to a large rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick. Cut into 8 small rectangles.
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4Place a chocolate stick along one short end of each rectangle and roll up tightly. Place the rolled pastries seam-side down on a lined baking sheet.
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5Cover and let rise for 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Brush tops with beaten egg.
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6Bake for 18–20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly before serving.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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