Chef John's Chocolate Croissants Recipe

Have you ever bitten into a warm, flaky chocolate croissant and experienced the divine combination of buttery pastry and rich, gooey chocolate? If not, it's time to treat yourself to Chef John's Chocolate Croissants. This recipe will guide you through the process of making these delectable pastries from scratch, so you can indulge in the perfectly balanced flavors of buttery dough and decadent chocolate filling.

Croissants, a classic French pastry, are known for their delicate layers ...

Croissants, a classic French pastry, are known for their delicate layers and rich flavor. Making them from scratch may seem daunting, but with the right recipe and technique, you can achieve professional-quality croissants at home. Chef John's Chocolate Croissants will not only satisfy your cravings for a delicious, flaky treat, but also provide you with the satisfaction of creating something truly special with your own hands.

One of the most captivating aspects of this recipe is the process of laminating the dough, a technique that creates the numerous flaky layers characteristic of croissants. As you roll and fold the dough, you'll witness the transformation from a simple mixture of flour, butter, and yeast into a complex, multi-layered pastry that is both visually stunning and irresistibly delicious.

What sets Chef John's Chocolate Croissants apart is the luxurious chocolate filling. Instead of using plain chocolate, this recipe features a homemade chocolate ganache, a rich combination of chocolate and cream that melts into a delightful, gooey consistency when baked. The marriage of the buttery, flaky dough and the oozing chocolate filling creates a truly indulgent experience that is sure to impress anyone who takes a bite.

Whether you are a seasoned baker or a novice in the kitchen, Chef John's Chocolate Croissants will guide you through the process with clear, easy-to-follow instructions. The result will be a batch of heavenly pastries that can be enjoyed for breakfast, as a decadent dessert, or as a special treat to brighten any day.

So, roll up your sleeves, gather the ingredients, and get ready to embark on a culinary adventure that will reward you with a batch of irresistible chocolate croissants. Let Chef John's recipe be your guide to creating a batch of pastries that will delight your taste buds and impress anyone lucky enough to sample them. Get ready to savor the satisfying experience of making and indulging in Chef John's Chocolate Croissants.

Ingredients

½ cup warm water (100 degrees F or 38 degrees C)
½ (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
1 ¾ cups unbleached bread flour
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
3 tablespoons butter, room temperature, cut into pieces
1 stick unsalted European-style butter
1 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1 pinch coarse sea salt to taste

Information

Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 25 mins
Additional Time: 5 hrs
Total Time: 5 hrs 55 mins
Servings: 6
Yield: 6 croissants

Place warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle with yeast. Let yeast dissolve for 10 minutes. Add sugar and bread flour. Sprinkle with salt; add 3 tablespoons butter. Attach the bowl to the stand mixer. Mix dough with the dough hook just until butter is completely kneaded in and the dough forms a ball and pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl, 3 or 4 minutes.

Transfer dough to a work surface and form into a semi-smooth ball. Place dough back in the mixer bowl; cover. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 2 hours.

Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface. Push and press dough to deflate it, and form it into a rectangle. Fold into thirds by lifting one end over the middle third, and folding the other side onto the middle. Wrap in plastic wrap. Place on a rimmed baking sheet lined with a silicone mat. Refrigerate until chilled through, about 1 hour.

Cut 1 stick of butter in 1/2 lengthwise and place halves slightly apart from each other on a length of parchment paper long enough to fold over the butter. Fold the parchment paper over the butter. Press butter down. Roll out with a rolling pin to a square about 8x8 inches. Refrigerate until a little chilled and just barely flexible, 10 or 15 minutes.

Roll dough out into a rectangle slightly wider than the butter slab and just over twice as long. Place butter on one half of the dough leaving about 1 inch margin from the edge of the dough. Fold the other half of the dough over the butter. Dust work surface and dough with flour as needed.

Press rolling pin down on dough to create ridges. Then roll out the ridges. Repeat this process. Keep pressing and rolling until dough is about the same size rectangle as you had before you folded it in half, dusting with just a bit of flour as necessary.

Starting from the short side, fold one-third of dough over middle third. Then fold the other end over to form a small rectangle. Flatten out just slightly with rolling pin. Transfer to the silicone-lined baking sheet; cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.

Transfer dough back to work surface and repeat pressing and rolling technique until dough is the size of the previous larger rectangle. Fold into thirds again, starting from the short side. Press and roll slightly. Transfer back to lined baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate about 15 minutes.

Roll back out to a large rectangle. This time, fold dough in half. Then press and roll out into a 1/2-inch thick rectangle, using as little flour as needed to keep dough from sticking.

Dust dough with flour and roll out to a rectangle about 1/8-inch thick. Cut dough lengthwise into 6 pieces using a pastry wheel.

Pull and stretch out 1 of the dough pieces until ends are slightly tapered. Line 1 to 2 tablespoon of chocolate 1 inch parallel to the bottom edge and an equal amount of chocolate 1 more inch ahead. Roll dough up over the chocolate toward the top short edge to form a croissant with the seam at the bottom. Repeat with the remaining 5 dough pieces.

Place shaped croissants on baking sheets lined with silicone mats. Whisk together egg and 1 tablespoon water to make the egg wash. Brush croissants with a large portion of the egg wash. Place in a warm area to allow them to rise, 60 to 90 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Brush croissants gently but thoroughly again with egg wash. Sprinkle sea salt on top.

Bake in preheated oven until beautifully browned, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack. Cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.

Nutrition

566 cal.

Total Fat: 36g
Saturated Fat: 22g
Cholesterol: 89mg
Sodium: 592mg
Total Carbohydrate: 53g
Dietary Fiber: 4g
Total Sugars: 22g
Protein: 8g
Calcium: 19mg
Iron: 3mg
Potassium: 218mg

How to Make Chef John's Chocolate Croissants - A Step-by-Step Guide

Ingredients

Information

Nutrition

566 cal.

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