Croissant: "chocolate" Recipe

Activate yeast

In a small bowl, sprinkle the active dry yeast over the warm milk and add 1 teaspoon of the granulated sugar. Stir gently and let sit 5–8 minutes until foamy. If it doesn't foam, yeast may be inactive—start with new yeast.

Mix dough

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook (or a large mixing bowl), combine the all-purpose flour, remaining sugar (about 3 tablespoons), and salt. Add the softened butter, beaten egg, and the foamy milk-yeast mixture. Mix on low speed until ingredients come together, about 3–4 minutes, then increase to medium-low and knead 4–6 minutes until a smooth, slightly tacky dough forms. Dough should be soft but not sticky; add up to 1 tablespoon flour if excessively sticky.

First chill

Shape the dough into a rectangle roughly 1 inch thick, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for 30–45 minutes. Chilling relaxes the gluten and makes lamination easier.

Prepare butter block

While dough chills, create the butter block. Place the cold butter between two sheets of parchment and pound/roll it with a rolling pin into a 7 x 8 inch rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Keep edges straight. Refrigerate the butter block so it is cold but still pliable (about 15–20 minutes).

Roll and encase butter

On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a rectangle approximately 10 x 16 inches. Center the butter block on one half of the dough. Fold the other half of dough over the butter to encase it, sealing the edges by pinching lightly so butter is fully enclosed.

First fold (single turn)

Turn the dough so the short edge faces you. Gently roll or press to a 10 x 16 inch rectangle. Perform a book fold: fold the right third over the center, then fold the left third over that (like folding a letter). This is a single (3-fold) turn. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate 30–45 minutes until firm.

Second fold (double turn)

Remove dough from fridge, place seam side down, roll again to 10 x 16 inches. Perform a second 3-fold turn in the same direction. Wrap and refrigerate another 30–45 minutes. For extra flakiness, you can do a third turn (repeat rolling and folding once more), chilling between turns. Keep dough and butter cold but pliable through the process.

Final roll

After the last chill, roll the laminated dough on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 12 x 20 inches and roughly 1/8–1/4 inch thick. Trim edges to make straight sides. Cut the dough into roughly 12 rectangles each about 4 x 6–7 inches (or cut triangles for classic crescents—this recipe uses rectangles for classic pain au chocolat shape).

Assemble croissants

Place a piece of chocolate baton or 2–3 teaspoons of chopped chocolate near one short end of each rectangle. Roll the dough over the chocolate, tucking the seam under the roll to form a tight cylinder. Place seam-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment, spaced 2 inches apart. If you prefer crescent shape, cut into triangles and roll from wide end toward point.

Egg wash

Whisk the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon milk to make an egg wash. Gently brush the tops of each roll with a thin coat of egg wash, taking care not to deflate them.

Proof

Cover loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap or a clean towel and proof at a warm, draft-free spot (about 75–80°F / 24–27°C) for 1.5–2 hours, until puffy and roughly doubled in size. Alternatively, refrigerate overnight for a slower proof—bring back to room temperature before baking and egg-wash again if necessary.

Preheat oven

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Position a rack in the middle of the oven. If you have a baking stone or steel, preheat it as well for a better bottom crust.

Bake

Brush proofed croissants once more lightly with egg wash. Bake the croissants for 12–16 minutes until deeply golden brown and puffed—rotate the tray halfway through for even coloring. Internal temperature should be about 200–205°F (93–96°C) when fully baked.

Cool and finish

Remove from oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Let cool 10–15 minutes to allow chocolate to set but still be warm. Dust lightly with powdered sugar if desired, then serve warm or at room temperature.