Pain au chocolat is a labor of love. Buttery, flaky, paper-thin layers wrapped around rich dark chocolate. Two days of patience. Five minutes of devouring. Worth it. Let’s laminate.
Makes 8 pain au chocolat.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Make Dough
Mix flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Add cold water and melted butter. Knead until smooth. Refrigerate overnight.
Make Butter Block
Place cold butter between parchment. Pound and roll into a 7×7 inch square. Refrigerate.
Laminate
Roll dough into a 10×14 inch rectangle. Place butter in center. Fold dough over. Roll out.
Fold into thirds. Chill 30 minutes. Repeat rolling and folding 3 more times. Refrigerate overnight.
Shape
Roll dough into a 10×20 inch rectangle. Cut into 8 rectangles (5×5 inches each).
Place 2 chocolate batons on one edge of each rectangle. Roll tightly over the chocolate.
Proof
Place seam-side down on baking sheets. Cover and proof 2-3 hours at 75°F (24°C) until puffy.
Bake
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Brush with egg wash.
Bake 15-18 minutes until deep golden brown.
Serve
Cool on a rack. Serve warm. Watch the layers shatter.
Summary
Prep Time: 1 hour + 2 days resting | Bake Time: 18 min | Total: 2 days
Yield: 8 pastries | Difficulty: Hard
Storage Notes
Freeze (unbaked, shaped): 3 months. Bake from frozen (add 5-7 minutes). Baked pain au chocolat: Reheat at 350°F for 5-7 minutes. Never microwave — layers get sad and chewy. Best day-of, but leftovers still slap.
