Pain au Chocolat
Flaky laminated pastry with melting dark chocolate bars inside, made with strong bread flour and enriched with whole milk and butter.
160ml
310g
30g
6g
5g
200g
120g
1piece| # | Product | Quantity | Notes | State | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | 160ml | — | — | |
| 2 | | 310g | — | — | |
| 3 | | 30g | — | — | |
| 4 | | 6g | — | — | |
| 5 | | 5g | — | — | |
| 6 | | 200g | — | — | |
| 7 | | 120g | — | — | |
| 8 | | 1piece | — | — |
Pour the milk into the small saucepan.
Whole milk · 160 ml
Set the saucepan over a low heat and warm the milk until it is just body temperature — it should feel neither hot nor cold when you dip in a finger — then take the pan off the heat.
Tip the flour into the large mixing bowl.
Strong white bread flour · 300 g
Add the caster sugar to the flour.
Caster sugar · 30 gAdd the fine salt, keeping it to one side of the bowl away from the yeast.
Fine salt · 6 gAdd the instant yeast to the opposite side of the bowl from the salt.
Instant yeast · 5 gPour the warm liquid into the flour mixture.
Stir everything together with a wooden spoon until no dry flour remains and a rough, shaggy dough has formed.
Turn the shaggy dough out of the bowl onto a clean, unfloured work surface.
Knead the dough firmly by pushing it away with the heel of your hand, folding it back, and rotating a quarter turn, continuing for about 8 minutes until it is smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky.
Put 25 g of the butter (softened) into the large mixing bowl.
Unsalted butter · 25 gAdd the kneaded dough to the bowl with the butter.
Squeeze and fold the dough repeatedly in the bowl until the butter is completely absorbed and the dough is smooth and slightly tacky.
Press a sheet of cling film directly against the surface of the dough to prevent a skin forming.
Leave the dough at room temperature for 1 hour until it has roughly doubled in size.
Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured baking tray, pressing it gently into a rough rectangle.
Strong white bread flour · 10 gRisen enriched dough · step 15
Cover the tray tightly with cling film.
Slide the tray into the refrigerator.
Leave the dough in the refrigerator overnight, or for at least 8 hours, until it is very cold and firm.
Cut the cold butter into thin, even slices and arrange them in a neat rectangle roughly 15 × 10 cm on the chopping board.
Unsalted butter · 175 g
Beat the butter slices firmly with a rolling pin, then fold them together and beat again until you have a smooth, pliable slab about 1 cm thick — it should bend without snapping.
Transfer the chilled dough to a lightly floured surface.
Roll the dough out into a rectangle roughly 35 × 20 cm, keeping the edges as straight as possible and the thickness even.
Lay the butter block onto the centre of the dough rectangle so it covers the middle third, leaving a border of dough either side.
Fold the left third of the dough over the butter, then fold the right third on top, as though closing a letter, and press the open edges firmly with your fingers to seal the butter inside.
Roll the dough parcel away from you into a long rectangle about 45 × 20 cm, using firm, even strokes and working from the centre outward, then rotate it 90 degrees.
Fold the dough in thirds again — left over centre, right over left — and press the edges lightly.
Wrap the folded dough tightly in cling film.
Lift the cling-film-wrapped dough onto the baking tray.
Slide the tray into the refrigerator.
Leave the dough to rest and firm up in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Take the tray out of the refrigerator and unwrap the dough.
Lift the unwrapped dough onto the lightly floured work surface.
Roll the dough out once more into a 45 × 20 cm rectangle, working quickly so the butter stays cold.
Fold the dough in thirds for the second time, pressing the edges gently to seal.
Wrap the folded dough in cling film again.
Lift the cling-film-wrapped dough back onto the baking tray.
Slide the tray into the refrigerator.
Chill for another 30 minutes until the dough is firm and cold again.
Take the tray out of the refrigerator and unwrap the dough.
Lift the unwrapped dough out of the tray onto the lightly floured work surface.
Roll the dough into a neat rectangle approximately 32 × 24 cm and about 4 mm thick, keeping the corners square and the thickness uniform.
Lift the rolled dough sheet onto the chopping board.
Using a sharp knife and a ruler if you have one, cut the dough into 4 equal rectangles, each roughly 16 × 12 cm.
Chop the dark chocolate into small, even pieces, about the size of a chocolate chip.
Dark chocolate · 120 gLift the dough rectangles back onto the lightly floured work surface.
Divide the chopped chocolate evenly across the bottom third of each dough rectangle, leaving a 1 cm border at the base.
Roll each rectangle tightly from the chocolate end toward you, keeping the roll snug so the chocolate is enclosed, and place them seam-side down.
Line the baking tray with a sheet of baking paper.
Set the 4 rolled pains au chocolat on the lined tray, seam-side down, spaced well apart to allow for spreading.
Crack the egg into a small bowl, discarding the shell.
Egg · 1 piece
Beat the egg briskly with a fork until the yolk and white are fully combined.
Brush the tops and sides of each pain au chocolat with a thin, even coat of egg wash, taking care not to let it drip down the cut sides and glue the layers together.
Drape cling film loosely over the tray, making sure it does not touch the pastries.
Leave the pains au chocolat to prove at warm room temperature for 1½ to 2 hours, until they are noticeably puffed, wobbly when the tray is gently shaken, and the layers are visible at the sides.
Preheat the oven
Remove the cling film from the tray.
Give each pain au chocolat a second, light coat of egg wash just before baking.
Slide the tray into the oven.
Bake for 16 to 18 minutes until the pains au chocolat are a deep, even golden brown and the pastry feels crisp when tapped on the base.
Using oven gloves, carefully lift the tray out of the oven and set it on a heatproof surface.
Leave the pains au chocolat on the tray for 10 minutes — the chocolate inside will be molten straight from the oven and needs a moment to settle.
| # | Product | Tool | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 160 ml | | Pour the milk into the small saucepan.⏱ 10sResultWhole milk |
| 2 | — | | Set the saucepan over a low heat and warm the milk until it is just body temperature — it should feel neither hot nor cold when you dip in a finger — then take the pan off the heat.⏱ 1 minResultHot Milkused in step 7 |
| 3 | 300 g | | Tip the flour into the large mixing bowl.⏱ 10sResultStrong white bread flour |
| 4 | 30 g | | Add the caster sugar to the flour.⏱ 10sResultStrong white bread flour and caster sugar |
| 5 | 6 g | | Add the fine salt, keeping it to one side of the bowl away from the yeast.⏱ 10sResultStrong white bread flour and caster sugar and fine salt |
| 6 | 5 g | | Add the instant yeast to the opposite side of the bowl from the salt.⏱ 10sResultStrong white bread flour mixture |
| 7 | Hot Milkstep 2 | | Pour the warm liquid into the flour mixture.⏱ 10sResultStrong white bread flour mixture |
| 8 | — | | Stir everything together with a wooden spoon until no dry flour remains and a rough, shaggy dough has formed.⏱ 1 minResultShaggy dough |
| 9 | Shaggy doughstep 8 | | Turn the shaggy dough out of the bowl onto a clean, unfloured work surface.⏱ 10sResultShaggy dough |
| 10 | — | | Knead the dough firmly by pushing it away with the heel of your hand, folding it back, and rotating a quarter turn, continuing for about 8 minutes until it is smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky.⏱ 8 minResultSmooth doughused in step 12 |
| 11 | 25 g | | Put 25 g of the butter (softened) into the large mixing bowl.⏱ 10sResultUnsalted butter |
| 12 | Smooth doughstep 10 | | Add the kneaded dough to the bowl with the butter.⏱ 10sResultUnsalted butter and smooth dough |
| 13 | — | | Squeeze and fold the dough repeatedly in the bowl until the butter is completely absorbed and the dough is smooth and slightly tacky.⏱ 3 minResultEnriched dough |
| 14 | — | | Press a sheet of cling film directly against the surface of the dough to prevent a skin forming.⏱ 10s |
| 15 | — | | Leave the dough at room temperature for 1 hour until it has roughly doubled in size.⏱ 1 hrResultRisen enriched dough |
| 16 | 10 g | | Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured baking tray, pressing it gently into a rough rectangle.⏱ 10sResultRisen enriched dough |
| Risen enriched doughstep 15 | |||
| 17 | — | | Cover the tray tightly with cling film.⏱ 10s |
| 18 | — | | Slide the tray into the refrigerator.⏱ 10sResultRisen enriched dough |
| 19 | — | | Leave the dough in the refrigerator overnight, or for at least 8 hours, until it is very cold and firm.⏱ 8 hrResultChilled dough |
| 20 | — | | Take the tray of dough out of the refrigerator.⏱ 10sResultChilled doughused in step 23 |
| 21 | 175 g | | Cut the cold butter into thin, even slices and arrange them in a neat rectangle roughly 15 × 10 cm on the chopping board.⏱ 30sResultSliced unsalted butter |
| 22 | Sliced unsalted butterstep 21 | | Beat the butter slices firmly with a rolling pin, then fold them together and beat again until you have a smooth, pliable slab about 1 cm thick — it should bend without snapping.⏱ 1 minResultFlattened butter sheetused in step 25 |
| 23 | Chilled doughstep 20 | | Transfer the chilled dough to a lightly floured surface.⏱ 10sResultChilled dough |
| 24 | — | | Roll the dough out into a rectangle roughly 35 × 20 cm, keeping the edges as straight as possible and the thickness even.⏱ 1 min 30sResultRolled dough sheetused in step 26 |
| 25 | Flattened butter sheetstep 22 | | Lay the butter block onto the centre of the dough rectangle so it covers the middle third, leaving a border of dough either side.⏱ 15sResultFlattened butter sheet |
| 26 | Rolled dough sheetstep 24 | | Fold the left third of the dough over the butter, then fold the right third on top, as though closing a letter, and press the open edges firmly with your fingers to seal the butter inside.⏱ 30sResultButter-enclosed dough |
| Flattened butter sheetstep 25 | |||
| 27 | — | | Roll the dough parcel away from you into a long rectangle about 45 × 20 cm, using firm, even strokes and working from the centre outward, then rotate it 90 degrees.⏱ 1 min 30sResultFirst-rolled laminated dough |
| 28 | — | | Fold the dough in thirds again — left over centre, right over left — and press the edges lightly.⏱ 30sResultFirst-turn laminated doughused in step 30 |
| 29 | — | | Wrap the folded dough tightly in cling film.⏱ 10s |
| 30 | First-turn laminated doughstep 28 | | Lift the cling-film-wrapped dough onto the baking tray.⏱ 10sResultFirst-turn laminated dough |
| 31 | — | | Slide the tray into the refrigerator.⏱ 10sResultFirst-turn laminated dough |
| 32 | — | | Leave the dough to rest and firm up in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.⏱ 30 minResultRested laminated dough |
| 33 | — | | Take the tray out of the refrigerator and unwrap the dough.⏱ 10sResultRested laminated dough |
| 34 | Rested laminated doughstep 33 | | Lift the unwrapped dough onto the lightly floured work surface.⏱ 10sResultRested laminated dough |
| 35 | — | | Roll the dough out once more into a 45 × 20 cm rectangle, working quickly so the butter stays cold.⏱ 1 min 30sResultSecond-rolled laminated dough |
| 36 | — | | Fold the dough in thirds for the second time, pressing the edges gently to seal.⏱ 30sResultSecond-turn laminated doughused in step 38 |
| 37 | — | | Wrap the folded dough in cling film again.⏱ 10s |
| 38 | Second-turn laminated doughstep 36 | | Lift the cling-film-wrapped dough back onto the baking tray.⏱ 10sResultSecond-turn laminated dough |
| 39 | — | | Slide the tray into the refrigerator.⏱ 10sResultSecond-turn laminated dough |
| 40 | — | | Chill for another 30 minutes until the dough is firm and cold again.⏱ 30 minResultFully laminated dough |
| 41 | — | | Take the tray out of the refrigerator and unwrap the dough.⏱ 10sResultFully laminated dough |
| 42 | Fully laminated doughstep 41 | | Lift the unwrapped dough out of the tray onto the lightly floured work surface.⏱ 10sResultFully laminated dough |
| 43 | — | | Roll the dough into a neat rectangle approximately 32 × 24 cm and about 4 mm thick, keeping the corners square and the thickness uniform.⏱ 2 minResultFinal dough sheet |
| 44 | — | | Lift the rolled dough sheet onto the chopping board.⏱ 10sResultFinal dough sheet |
| 45 | — | | Using a sharp knife and a ruler if you have one, cut the dough into 4 equal rectangles, each roughly 16 × 12 cm. → Into 4 equal portions⏱ 1 minResultDough rectangles |
| 46 | 120 g | | Chop the dark chocolate into small, even pieces, about the size of a chocolate chip.⏱ 1 minResultChopped dark chocolateused in step 48 |
| 47 | — | | Lift the dough rectangles back onto the lightly floured work surface.⏱ 10sResultDough rectangles |
| 48 | Chopped dark chocolatestep 46 | | Divide the chopped chocolate evenly across the bottom third of each dough rectangle, leaving a 1 cm border at the base.⏱ 1 minResultChopped dark chocolate |
| 49 | — | | Roll each rectangle tightly from the chocolate end toward you, keeping the roll snug so the chocolate is enclosed, and place them seam-side down.⏱ 1 minResultShaped pains au chocolatused in step 51 |
| 50 | — | | Line the baking tray with a sheet of baking paper.⏱ 15s |
| 51 | Shaped pains au chocolatstep 49 | | Set the 4 rolled pains au chocolat on the lined tray, seam-side down, spaced well apart to allow for spreading.⏱ 30sResultArranged pains au chocolat |
| 52 | 1 piece | | Crack the egg into a small bowl, discarding the shell.⏱ 10sResultEgg |
| 53 | — | | Beat the egg briskly with a fork until the yolk and white are fully combined.⏱ 20sResultBeaten egg |
| 54 | Beaten eggstep 53 | | Brush the tops and sides of each pain au chocolat with a thin, even coat of egg wash, taking care not to let it drip down the cut sides and glue the layers together.⏱ 30sResultEgg-washed pains au chocolatused in step 59 |
| 55 | — | | Drape cling film loosely over the tray, making sure it does not touch the pastries.⏱ 10s |
| 56 | — | | Leave the pains au chocolat to prove at warm room temperature for 1½ to 2 hours, until they are noticeably puffed, wobbly when the tray is gently shaken, and the layers are visible at the sides.⏱ 2 hrResultProved pains au chocolatused in step 59 |
| 57 | — | | Preheat the oven⏱ 15 min |
| 58 | — | | Remove the cling film from the tray.⏱ 10s |
| 59 | Remaining egg washstep 54 | | Give each pain au chocolat a second, light coat of egg wash just before baking.⏱ 30sResultTwice-glazed pains au chocolat |
| Proved pains au chocolatstep 56 | |||
| 60 | — | | Slide the tray into the oven.⏱ 10sResultTwice-glazed pains au chocolat |
| 61 | — | | Bake for 16 to 18 minutes until the pains au chocolat are a deep, even golden brown and the pastry feels crisp when tapped on the base.⏱ 18 minResultBaked pains au chocolat |
| 62 | — | | Using oven gloves, carefully lift the tray out of the oven and set it on a heatproof surface.⏱ 10sResultBaked pains au chocolat |
| 63 | — | | Leave the pains au chocolat on the tray for 10 minutes — the chocolate inside will be molten straight from the oven and needs a moment to settle.⏱ 10 minResultCooled pains au chocolat |
| Total Time | 10 hr 37 min | ||
A batch eaten a portion at a time — about 4 portions. Serve what is wanted now and keep the rest.
- Lift the pains au chocolat onto a serving plate and bring them to the table while still warm.
| Nutrient | Per serving |
|---|---|
| 896kcal | |
| 18g | |
| 58g | |
| 35g | |
| 81g | |
| 17g | |
| 5g | |
| 631mg |
Pain au Chocolat
Flaky laminated pastry with melting dark chocolate bars inside, made with strong bread flour and enriched with whole milk and butter.
What you’ll doYou will make a dough, chill it overnight, then laminate it by folding butter into it over three chills and two folds. You will then shape the dough into rectangles, fill them with chopped chocolate, roll them tightly, prove them until puffy, and bake them until deep golden. It runs over two days, most of it chilling and proving.
Ingredients
- Whole milk160 ml
- Strong white bread flour310 g
- Caster sugar30 g
- Fine salt6 g
- Instant yeast5 g
- Unsalted butter200 g
- Dark chocolate120 g
- Egg1 piece