Chocolate Croissant – Pain Au Chocolat
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Equipment
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 Pizza Cutter
- 1 Baking Sheet
- 1 Cooling Rack
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 2 cups bread flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- ¼ oz dried yeast
- 4 ½ oz milk room-temperature
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
To Fold into the Dough
- 8 ½ tbsp unsalted butter to roll into dough
- 8 ¾ oz dark chocolate
For the Egg Wash
- 1 egg beat well for egg wash
Instructions
Mix the dough:
- Add all the ingredients to the mixing bowl with the bread hook attached, mix on slow speed for 5 minutes, and incorporate all the ingredients. Then turn the mixer to medium speed for another 2 minutes. Mix until the dough becomes elastic and flexible. To check it, pull out a small piece, round it up in your palm, then slowly stretch it out till it passes the windowpane test (stop at 60-70% gluten development). Then round it up and let it rest in the refrigerator overnight.2 cups bread flour, 1 tsp salt, 3 tbsp granulated sugar, ¼ oz dried yeast, 4 ½ oz milk, 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- Using a sandwich bag/plastic liner with square dimensions, place room-temperature butter inside, pound the butter, and roll it into a preferred square shape with the rolling pin. Then store in the refrigerator.8 ½ tbsp unsalted butter
The next day – first Fold:
- Take out the dough from the refrigerator to the working surface and roll it into a rectangular shape of 5 inches x 10 inches.
- Take the butter sheet out of the refrigerator. Once the butter reaches 55F, peel the butter sheet and place it into the dough slab's center. Stretch and fold the right and left sides of the dough over the butter. Then make a straight cut on both right and left of the dough.
- Grab your rolling pin and press it down to your dough evenly from top to bottom until the butter is pliable and ready to roll out into a long rectangle. I stop once the length is about 4 times the width, then make a book fold. Keep rolling to make it flatter before covering and putting them back in the refrigerator. Chill it for 45 minutes.
Second fold:
- Same rolling and folding process at 53F, but at this time make a single fold. Cover and rest for 45 minutes.
Final lamination:
- The dough should be cold now. Grab both ends of your rolling pin, and press gently and evenly on your dough. Then as quickly as you can, from the open end-side, roll out the dough to 7.5 inches wide and 14.5 inches long. Use a wheel cutter or a sharp knife to trim all the edges, then cut into about rectangle strips, 3 inches x 7 inches. This recipe will yield 5 chocolate croissants.
- Start placing the chocolate slivers at the closest side to you and gently roll starting from the bottom or the side closest to you up to the top. Face the tips to the bottom, just naturally leave the ends.8 ¾ oz dark chocolate
Proofing:
- Place the croissants' baking tray into a cool and shut oven and a tray filled with warm water underneath, refill with warm water every 45 minutes to 1 hour (optional). Proof for about 2 hours until the chocolate croissant is double in size.
Baking:
- Brushing the egg-washed gently over the chocolate croissants, and baked at 350F for approximately 16 minutes until golden brown.1 egg