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40-Minute Flaky Chocolate Croissants Using Puff Pastry (Pain Au Chocolat Hack)

A flaky chocolate croissant cut in half, revealing melted chocolate filling, resting on a white plate.
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Make bakery-style chocolate croissants quickly using store-bought puff pastry for a flaky, buttery breakfast treat with a rich chocolate center.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 sheet frozen puff pastry (about 10 oz), thawed
  • 4 oz semi-sweet or dark chocolate, cut into 8 small sticks (or use chocolate batons)
  • 1 large egg, beaten (for egg wash)
  • 1 tablespoon water

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Unfold the thawed puff pastry sheet onto a lightly floured surface. Cut the sheet in half lengthwise to create two long rectangles.
  3. Cut each long rectangle crosswise into four equal pieces, resulting in eight smaller rectangles total.
  4. Place one piece of chocolate near the short edge of one rectangle. Roll the pastry over the chocolate once. Place a second piece of chocolate near the new edge and continue rolling until you reach the end of the pastry strip. You should have one croissant with two chocolate sections inside.
  5. Repeat this process for the remaining seven pastry rectangles.
  6. Place the rolled croissants seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet.
  7. In a small bowl, whisk the egg with 1 tablespoon of water to make the egg wash. Brush the tops and sides of each croissant generously with the egg wash.
  8. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the croissants are puffed, golden brown, and flaky.
  9. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly on the baking sheet before serving warm.

Notes

  • For extra shine, brush the warm croissants with a light sugar glaze (1/4 cup powdered sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon water) immediately after they come out of the oven.
  • If your chocolate sticks are very thick, use only one stick per croissant to prevent leakage during baking.
  • If you prefer a softer crust, place a shallow pan of water on the bottom rack of the oven while baking.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://delishdiarist.com/easy-chocolate-croissant-recipe-hack/