This month, the I made it challenge set by Blue Jelly Beans was for croissants and pain au chocolat. I had already made croissants using a Viennese recipe and so I decided for the latter. And to do so I would use the Parisian recipe. I also changed how I rolled up my croissants as per my notes in my recipe. However, what I did not take into consideration was the weather. Dave had opened the upstairs door and the downstairs window and this created a wonderful through draft – right across the very space I had placed my bowl onto. I chose a nice warm spot that gets all the morning sun, in my dining room, as the weather was rather chilly. However, the cool breeze ensured that my croissants did not puff up very well. They did however taste very good, and I will make pain au chocolat again as they make a great afternoon tea treat. I have to add that the taste was as authentic as I have ever had in France and I think that it had to do with the milk chocolate that I use. This added just the right note of sweetness to the pain au chocolat. I use Canderel chocolate as it is sugar free and when I am overseas I buy the Lindt sugar free chocolate.
which brand of milk chocolate is your favourite?
Pain Au Chocolat
Ingredients
- 140 mls lukewarm milk
- 7 g dried yeast
- 250 g flour
- 33 g fructose
- 3.75 mls salt
- 125 g butter softened
- 85 g bar of milk chocolate - you will not use all of it
- 1 egg yolk lightly beaten
Method
- Pour the milk into a jug and add the yeast
- Mix in well and leave to stand for 20 minutes
- Give it a mix and then make a well in the middle
- Pour the milk mix into the well and use your fingers to make a dough, mixing as quickly as possible
- Cover with a cloth and leave to prove for an hour
- Roll into a rectangle on a well floured surface
- Dot a third of the butter on the pastry and then fold the top third down and the bottom third up
- Roll out into a rectangle and repeat with a third of the butter
- Fold as per above and roll out into a rectangle
- Dot the rest of the butter on the pastry and fold as per above
- Leave to rest for 30 minutes
- Roll into a rectangle and cut into two or three lengthwise depending on how big you want your croissants
- Cut squares and then cut each square into a triangle
- Make a small cut into the base of each triangle, in the middle of the pastry
- Place a block of chocolate on each side of the cut
- Roll the pastry up from the base to the point
- Place onto a lined baking tray and curve into a crescent shape
- Preheat the oven to 220° Celsius
- Leave the pastry to prove for 45 minutes
- Brush with the egg yolk and bake for 10 minutes
- Cool on a wire rack
Click on the links for conversions and notes.
What I blogged:
- one year ago – Grapefruit and Honey Sorbet
- two years ago – Rich Tomato Pasta
- three years ago – Parsley Sauce Vierge
I Made It Challenge Round Up:
Rumtumtiggs
these look so good
Thanks! They tasted way better than they looked 🙂
Looks yum!! I am not a huge fan of chocolate, I use dark chocolate a lot as it is not to sweet.
Hope you are enjoying your trip!
I also prefer dark chocolate but these worked so well with the milk chocolate! We are really enjoying our trip 🙂
They look lovely, I really need to attempt a recipe like this soon!
They are awesome to make – and eat of course!
Tasty croissants for Sunday mornings!
The best way to start a day!
Yum Tandy, wish I could eat these every morning. Unfortunately I’d be the size of a whale if I did 🙂
Me too, on both counts!
Puffy or not, they look so delicious 🙂
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
They were, thank you Uru 🙂
Lovely home-made pain au chocolat! Here in Belgium, you see mostly pain au chocolat with 2 chocolates in them: double yum! Your pastry looks golden & crunchy!
Now, I could go for your version!
You make it sound so easy! I’ve never tried making croissants or pain au chocolat at home before, as I thought they would be a disaster, but maybe I should give it a go!
AS long as you are not fussed about the shape, they are quite easy to do 🙂