What is Pain au Chocolat?
Pain au Chocolat are a delicious sweet version of chocolate croissants. They are definitely a staple in France. These pastries are made from a laminated butter dough (similar to croissant dough) and dark chocolate. Pain au Chocolat is usually served for breakfast or as a snack in school or at work, or just simple as a delicious dessert!
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Making these Pain au Chocolat is not a simple process. It involves making a homemade dough with lots of layers of butter that give a flaky texture. Later we add some dark chocolate, roll and bake. The golden annd crispy outside and the soft inside with melted dark chocolate is the perfect combination.
Why I Love This French Chocolate Croissants Recipe?
Pain au Chocolat is one of my favorite desserts for breakfast! They have the erfect combination of buttery and very soft layers and rich dark chocolate (and I love chocolate!). This homemade croissant recipe is simple, but it takes some work. Trust me it’s worth it, and it feels so fancy!
These sweet chocolate croissants are perfect for a special breakfast (I love to dunk them in cappucino). They are a sweeter and more rich version of the beloved traditional French Croissants.
Key Ingredients for Authentic Pain au Chocolat
Flour: I recommend using all purpose flour for the best texture. Sift the flour before using, to avoid lumps in the dough.
Butter: High quality unsalted butter is one of the most important ingredients in this recipe. The butter needs to be cold and still pliable for lamination (its a process when we fold the dough, roll and repeat a lot of times). I always love to use a homemade butter, or sometimes i buy fresh butter from the farmers market – there is nothing better than this!
Milk: Whole milk makes the dough even softer. You can use milk alternatives, but i really recommend using full fat milk for the best and softest results.
Yeast: Active dry yeast makes the dough rise when it bakes, wich makes it softer. You can also use fresh yeast, if you have it at home. Just make sure that the yeast is up to date, because expired yeast will not work.
Sugar: A small amount of white sugar makes these pastries slightly sweeter, and it activates the yeast. You can also use honey or brown sugar – whatever will make the yeast grow. If you love sweet pastries you can add a slightly higher amount.
Salt: Salt balances the sweetness. But be careful – we don’t want salty French chocolate pastries :D.
Chocolate: Use high quality dark chocolate bars or sticks for the filling. The chocolate should be slightly bitter to balance the sweetness. (I like to keep the chocolate in a long strip, wich makes it easier to roll the chocolate croissants.
Eggs: Eggs in egg wash give the pastries a beautiful golden color, after they bake
Raw Pain au Chocolat, on a baking tray lined with parchment papaer.
Raw Pain au Chocolat
How to serve Chocolate Croissants?
Serve these best chocolate croissants with a cup of coffee or tea. They are also very delicious with a glass of cold milk or thick Italian hot chocolate. Pain au chocolat can be served for sweet breakfast or a dessert.
Tip! These delicious croissants with chocolate can be served hot or cold! I like to take them as a sweet treat to work or school!
Expert Tips
Use cold butter: Keep the butter cold in the lamination process. If the butter starts to soften too much, I recommend that you chill the dough in the fridge before continuing. Use plastic wrap, to cover the butter, and than put it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.
Resting time: Leave the dough to rest in between folding to relax the gluten. This makes rolling easier and helps create flaky layers. Do not skip this, even tho it makes the process slightly longer, because it really makes these chocolate croissants softer.
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Use egg wash: Put the egg wash gently and evenly on top of the unbaked pasties. This gives the pain au chocolat a beautiful golden brown color and adds a slightly golden shine.
French Pain au Chocolat (Chocolate Croissants) on a white plate.
French Pain au Chocolat (Chocolate Croissant)
Variations and substitutions
Add your favorite nut paste: You can spread a thin layer of almond paste on top the raw dough before adding the chocolate, to get an almond flavored variation. For a less traditional option i love to use peanut butter – this is amazing with the dark chocolate.
Add toppings: After adding egg wash you can top the croissants with chocolate with almond slivers, or chopped nuts, for more crunch and flavor. You can also top them with brown sugar, or even white granulated sugar for a sweet topping.
Course sea salt: Add a sprinkle of sea salt over the egg wash before baking for a sweet and salty combination. Use thick course salt, but be careful not to add too much!
Use different kind of chocolate: For those who prefer a different type of chocolate, milk chocolate or even white chocolate can be used. Sometimes i even like to add two types of chocolate – dark and white for a sweet twist! You can also use your favorite type of chocolate!
French Pain au Chocolat (Chocolate Croissants), cut in half, showing the rich dark chocolate.
Pain au Chocolat (Chocolate Croissants)
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How To Store Chocolate Croissants?
Store the pain au chocolat in a container at room temperature for up to 2 days. You can keep them in the fridge for about 4 days, but the texture of cold chocolate croissants is different, so make sure to warm them up before.
For longer storage, you can also freeze the pastries in a single layer and then transfer them to a freezer bag. Reheat frozen pain au chocolat in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 10 minutes until warm.
FAQs
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes, you can prepare the dough a day ahead and let it rise overnight in the refrigerator. This can help develop more flavor and make the process more manageable.
How do I ensure my pain au chocolat is flaky?
Keep the butter cold and ensure the dough is well-laminated. This creates the distinct layers that make pain au chocolat flaky and delicious.
