Dive into the world of French pastry with this detailed recipe for making Pain au Chocolat and Croissants. These pastries are characterized by their flaky, buttery layers and rich, chocolatey centers. Perfect for breakfast or an indulgent snack, they offer a taste of classic French baking in your own kitchen.
Why You’ll Love This: This recipe captures the essence of French pastry-making, providing detailed steps to achieve that perfect, flaky texture. The combination of buttery dough and rich dark chocolate creates an unforgettable taste. The added touch of egg wash with cream and honey, inspired by renowned pastry chef Cedric Grolet, ensures a beautiful, golden finish. Whether you're a seasoned baker or a novice, you'll find joy in creating these delectable pastries from scratch.
Perfect Occasion: Ideal for weekend brunches, special breakfasts, or as a delightful treat for guests, these pastries make any occasion special. They are perfect for holidays, family gatherings, or simply when you want to treat yourself to something extraordinary.
Decoration Tips: For an added touch of elegance, you can dust the baked pastries with powdered sugar or drizzle them with a simple glaze made from powdered sugar and milk. You can also garnish with sliced almonds or sprinkles of coarse sugar before baking for a crunchy, sweet finish. Serve them warm for the best experience.
Ingredients:
For the Dough:
- 250g bread flour
- 20g sugar
- 5g salt
- 7g yeast
- 250g cold cubed butter
- 100ml cold water
For the Egg Wash:
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp double cream
- 1 tbsp honey
For the Filling:
- Dark chocolate
Instructions:
- Prepare the Dough:
- In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Add the cubed butter and rub it in loosely, leaving large chunks of butter intact. Pour in the cold water and mix just until the dough comes together, without kneading it.
- Chill the dough in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.
- Roll and Fold the Dough:
- After chilling, flour your work surface and roll out the dough into a rectangle shape.
- Fold the top half of the dough down to the middle, then fold the bottom half over the top, similar to folding a letter. Turn the dough clockwise to the left. This completes the first fold. Repeat this process for the second fold.
- Chill the dough again for 10 minutes to prevent the butter from melting. Once chilled, repeat the folding process one more time for the third fold.
- Chill the dough for 1 hour.
- Shape the Pastries:
- After completing all the folds, roll out the dough thinly into a large rectangle. Trim away the uneven edges (save the scraps to bake as mini treats).
- Cut the dough into rectangles for Pain au Chocolat. If making croissants, cut the dough into triangles instead.
- Fill and Roll:
- Place a strip of dark chocolate on the edge of each rectangle and roll tightly, enclosing the chocolate within the dough. Use two strips of chocolate for each pastry. Place the rolled pastries on a baking tray, seam side down.
- Brush them with the egg wash mixture. Save the remaining egg wash in the fridge for later use.
- Proof the Pastries:
- Place the pastries in a warm place to rise for 1-2 hours until they double in size. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200°C (392°F).
- Bake:
- Once the pastries have proofed, brush them with another layer of egg wash.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Allow them to cool slightly before serving.
Enjoy!