Pain Au Chocolat Recipe
Make Pain Au Chocolat Recipe in just 6h . Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Dough (Detrempe)
Butter Block (Beurrage)
Filling & Finish
Method
Dough (Detrempe)
- 1
- 2
Combine wet ingredients
In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, water, and eggs until combined.
- 3
Form dough
With the mixer on low, pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix until a rough shaggy dough forms, about 1–2 minutes. Add the 3 Tbsp softened unsalted butter and continue mixing on medium-low for 4–6 minutes until the dough is smooth, slightly tacky but not sticky, and pulls away from the bowl. The dough temperature should be around 70–75°F (21–24°C). If using a stand mixer, switch to the dough hook if the dough becomes too resistant.
- 4
Bulk rest
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and shape into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to relax gluten and chill slightly before laminating.
Butter Block (Beurrage)
- 5
Prepare butter block
While dough chills, prepare the butter block. Cut the 12 oz cold butter into pieces and place between two sheets of parchment. Using a rolling pin, bash and roll the butter into a flat square about 7 x 7 inches and about 1/4 inch thick. Keep edges neat. Chill the butter block in the refrigerator until firm but still pliable (about 15–20 minutes). The butter and dough should be similar in firmness when laminating.
Lamination and Folding
- 6
Enclose butter
Lightly flour the work surface. Roll the chilled dough into a rectangle approximately 10 x 12 inches. Place the butter block centered on the lower two-thirds of the dough. Fold the top third of dough down over the butter, then fold the bottom third up to enclose (like a letter), sealing edges by pressing gently to form a neat package with the seam on the short side.
- 7
First roll and fold (Single turn)
Roll the dough package out, seam side closed, into a rectangle about 8 x 20 inches using light, even pressure—roll from the center outward. Dust with a little flour only if sticky. Fold into thirds (book/letter fold) by bringing one short end over the center and the other over that, so you have three layers. Rotate the dough 90° so the seam is on the right. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30–40 minutes to rest and chill.
- 8
Second and third turns
Repeat the rolling to an 8 x 20 inch rectangle and perform a second letter fold. Rotate 90° and chill 30–40 minutes. Repeat once more for a total of three letter folds (three single turns). After the final fold, chill the dough at least 1 hour or up to overnight; this will make handling easier and produce distinct layers.
Shaping and Proofing
- 9
Roll out dough
Remove chilled laminated dough from fridge and place on a lightly floured surface. Roll into a rectangle about 10 x 16 inches and roughly 1/8 inch thick. Trim edges to make straight sides.
- 10
Cut portions
Cut the rectangle into 12 smaller rectangles about 3 x 4 inches each (yielding 12 pain au chocolat). Keep pieces covered with plastic or a kitchen towel to prevent drying while you work.
- 11
Add chocolate and shape
Place one chocolate stick (or a small pile of chopped chocolate) along one short edge of a rectangle. Fold the dough over the chocolate once, then fold again so the chocolate is enclosed in two layers of dough, seam side down. Press the seams lightly to seal. Repeat for remaining pieces. Place shaped pastries on parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving 1–2 inches between each.
- 12
Proof
Cover the trays loosely with lightly oiled plastic or a damp towel. Proof at 75–80°F (24–27°C) until the pastries are puffy and almost doubled in size, about 1.5–2 hours depending on ambient temperature. They should feel light and jiggly but not collapsed.
Baking and Finishing
- 13
Preheat oven
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) convection or 425°F (220°C) conventional, with a rack in the middle. If you have a baking stone, place it in the oven to help with oven spring.
- 14
- 15
Bake
Bake one tray at a time on the middle rack for 12–16 minutes until the pastries are deep golden brown and puffed, rotating halfway through for even color. If the bottoms brown too quickly, reduce the oven temperature by 10–15°F (5–8°C) and extend baking time by a few minutes.
- 16
Cool
Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool for 10–15 minutes before serving so the chocolate sets slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature. Pain au chocolat are best the day they are made but can be briefly re-crisped in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5–7 minutes.