Pain au Chocolat

Method

Tap a step to highlight it, or turn on Cook Mode for large type and step-by-step focus.

1. Mix the flour, salt, sugar, yeast, milk and 50 g softened butter into a dough. Knead 6 minutes, then wrap and refrigerate 60 minutes.

   Mark done

2. Beat the cold butter block between two sheets of paper into a 20 cm square, keeping it cold and pliable. Chill.

   Mark done

3. Roll the dough to a 40 x 20 cm rectangle, lay the butter on one half, fold the other over and seal the edges.

   Mark done

4. Roll out to 60 x 20 cm and fold in three like a letter. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Repeat this twice more — three turns in total, chilling 30 minutes between each.

   Mark done

5. Roll the finished dough to 3 mm thick and cut into 8 x 16 cm rectangles.

   Mark done

6. Lay a chocolate baton near one short edge, roll once, add a second baton, and roll up. Set seam-side down on lined trays.

   Mark done

7. Prove at cool room temperature 120 minutes, until visibly puffy and wobbling. Brush with egg and bake at 200°C / 400°F for 18 to 20 minutes until deep brown.

   Mark done Start 18 min timer

Chef’s Tips

• Thirty minutes in the fridge between every turn. No exceptions.
• Butter at 15°C — pliable but cold.
• Prove until they wobble. Under-proved pastries leak butter.

Pairing Suggestions

• Coffee
• More coffee
• A newspaper

Storage & Reheating

Best within hours. A day in a paper bag; refresh at 180°C for 5 minutes. They freeze proved and unbaked for a month.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.