Easy Homemade Pain Au Chocolat
Easy, flaky, and buttery, these pain au chocolat have delicate layers and a rich chocolate center. Baked to golden perfection, they’re perfect for a weekend breakfast at home!
Ingredients
- ½ cup warm water 100 degrees F
- ½ .25 ounce package active dry yeast
- 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
- 1 ¾ cups bread flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 stick unsalted European-style butter
- 1 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 pinch coarse sea salt to taste
- 3 tablespoons butter room temperature, cut into pieces
Instructions
Prepare the Dough
- Dissolve yeast in warm water and let sit for 10 minutes. Mix with sugar, bread flour, salt, and butter in a stand mixer using a dough hook until smooth and pulling away from the bowl.
- Form into a ball, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 2 hours. Press dough into a rectangle, fold into thirds, wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Laminate the Dough
- Meanwhile, place butter between parchment paper, press, and roll into an 8x8-inch square. Chill until firm but still flexible, about 10–15 minutes.
- Roll dough into a rectangle slightly wider than the butter and just over twice as long. Place butter on half, leaving a small border, then fold the other half over it. Press down with a rolling pin to create ridges, then roll out smooth. Dust with flour as needed.
- Fold the dough into thirds (like a letter), press lightly, and chill for 30 minutes. Repeat rolling, folding, and chilling two more times, resting in the fridge for 15 minutes after the final fold.
Assemble & Bake
- Roll dough into a 1/8-inch thick rectangle, using minimal flour to prevent sticking. Cut lengthwise into 6 even strips. Gently stretch each piece to taper the ends slightly. Place chocolate pieces in two rows, about an inch apart, along the bottom edge of each strip.
- Roll up tightly to form croissants, ensuring the seam is on the bottom. Arrange croissants on a lined baking sheet. Whisk an egg with water and brush over the croissants. Let rise in a warm spot for 60–90 minutes until puffy.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Brush croissants again with egg wash, sprinkle with sea salt, and bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool before serving.