Pain au Chocolat Recipe

Pain au chocolat is the French bakery treasure every home baker dreams of — shatteringly flaky layers wrapped around two bars of dark chocolate. It takes patience, but the first warm, buttery bite makes every fold worthwhile.

Prep time

1 hr 10 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

1 hr 30 mins

Servings

4 servings

Calories

460

Ingredients

• 500 g strong white bread flour
• 10 g salt
• 60 g caster sugar
• 10 g instant yeast
• 300 ml cold whole milk
• 280 g unsalted butter, cold, for laminating
• 16 dark chocolate batons (about 8 g each)
• 1 egg, beaten, for glazing
• 1 tablespoon plain flour, for dusting

Instructions

1. Mix the flour, salt, sugar and yeast in a bowl, then add the milk and knead for 8 minutes until smooth. Shape into a rectangle, wrap, and chill for 1 hour.
2. Meanwhile, bash the cold butter between sheets of baking paper into a flat square about 20 cm across. Chill it until firm but pliable.
3. Roll the dough into a rectangle twice the size of the butter square, place the butter on one half, and fold the dough over to seal it like a book.
4. Roll out to a long rectangle and fold into thirds. Chill for 30 minutes, then repeat the rolling and folding twice more, chilling between each turn.
5. Roll the finished dough to a rectangle about 40 by 30 cm and trim the edges. Cut into 8 equal rectangles, place two chocolate batons on each, and roll up snugly.
6. Place seam-side down on a lined baking tray, cover loosely, and prove for 1 to 2 hours until puffy. Brush with beaten egg and bake at 200°C for 18 to 20 minutes, until deep golden.

Pro tips

• Keep everything cold — if the butter starts to melt into the dough, chill the dough for 20 minutes before continuing.
• A sharp knife and trimmed edges give the cleanest layers, so do not skip trimming the dough rectangle.
• Prove until the pastries look puffy and wobble gently when shaken; under-proved pains stay dense inside.
• These are best eaten warm on the day of baking, but reheat leftovers in a hot oven for 5 minutes to restore the crispness.

Frequently asked questions