Pain Au Chocolat Recipe

Mix dry ingredients

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Whisk briefly to homogenize. Place salt and yeast on opposite sides of the bowl if using active dry yeast (but using instant is fine as measured).

Add liquids and knead

Warm the milk slightly to about 25–30°C (room-warm). Add the milk, cold water, softened butter and the egg to the bowl. Mix on low speed until ingredients come together, about 2–3 minutes, then increase to medium-low and knead until the dough is smooth and slightly tacky but not sticky, about 5–7 minutes. The dough temperature should end around 22–24°C.

Bulk rest

Turn the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour to relax the gluten. The dough should be cold but still pliable before laminating.

Prepare the butter block

While the dough rests, place the 300 g butter and 20 g flour (optional) between two sheets of parchment and pound/roll with a rolling pin until the butter is an even 18 x 20 cm rectangle about 1–1.5 cm thick. Chill the butter block until firm but still pliable, about 20–30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Shape the dough

On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a rectangle roughly 30 x 25 cm. If it resists, let it rest 10–15 minutes in the fridge and then continue. Trim edges so sides are relatively straight and even.

Enclose butter (lock-in)

Place the butter block centered on the dough so the long side of the butter is parallel to the short side of the dough rectangle. Fold the dough over the butter like an envelope: fold the top third down over the butter, then fold the bottom third up to cover the butter completely. Seal the edges gently so the butter is enclosed and the packet is rectangular.

First roll and fold (single turn)

Lightly flour the work surface and roll the packet into a rectangle about 60 x 20 cm, rolling away from you with even pressure. Keep the butter from squeezing out the edges. Perform a single letter fold (fold the bottom third up, then the top third down) so the dough is in three layers. Rotate the dough 90° so the short end faces you. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30–40 minutes until firm.

Second and third folds

Repeat the rolling and single fold two more times for a total of three single folds (three turns). Each time: roll to 60 x 20 cm, fold in thirds (letter fold), rotate 90°, wrap and chill 30–40 minutes. After the final chill, the dough will have approximately 27 layers, characteristic of pain au chocolat.

Roll and portion

After the final rest, roll the laminated dough into a rectangle roughly 40 x 30 cm, about 3–4 mm thick. Trim edges to make even. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the rectangle into 12 equal rectangles about 10 x 12 cm. Keep pieces chilled if they begin to get warm.

Place chocolate and roll

Place 1 or 2 chocolate batons (depending on size) near one short edge of each rectangle, leaving a 1 cm gap from the edge. Fold the short edge up over the chocolate and roll tightly toward the opposite edge to form a seam on the bottom. Place each roll seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing about 3–4 cm apart.

Proof

Cover the shaped pain au chocolat loosely with lightly greased plastic or a tea towel and proof at 24–26°C (room temp if warm) until nearly doubled in volume and soft to the touch, about 60–90 minutes. Do not overproof — they should still have structure and a slight resistance when pressed.

Egg wash and score

Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F) with convection if available, or 220°C (430°F) static. Gently brush the rolls with the egg wash, taking care not to deflate them. Optionally score two shallow parallel slashes on top of each roll (about 1–2 mm deep) to encourage even expansion.

Bake

Bake in the preheated oven for 12–16 minutes until the exterior is deep golden brown and the interior is fully puffed. If using a conventional oven, rotate the sheet halfway through for even color. Internal layers should be flaky and distinct.

Cool

Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool for at least 10–15 minutes so butter sets and chocolate remains molten but not excessively runny. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serve pain au chocolat fresh the day of baking for best flakiness. They can be reheated gently in a 160°C (320°F) oven for 5–7 minutes to refresh layers. Store cooled pastries in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 24 hours or freeze individually wrapped for up to 1 month; reheat from frozen at 170°C (340°F) for 10–12 minutes.