Croissants/ Pains Au Chocolat

By trf0ster

To halve this recipe, cut all the ingredients in half and make the following changes: in step 2, shape the butter into a 11” by 11” block; in step 4, roll the dough to a 17” by 12” square, in step 5 roll the dough into an 8” by 26” rectangle; and in step 7, roll the dough into a 9” by 26” rectangle for croissants (do not cut in half) or a 16” by 15” rectangle for pains au chocolat.

Makes 24 croissants or pains au chocolat

Ingredients

• 32 ounces whole milk (3 3/4 cups)
• 1.1 ounces active dry yeast (2 1/2 tablespoons)
• 3 ounces sugar (6 1/2 tablespoons)
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon salt
• 48 ounces (3 pounds) bread flour (10 cups)
• 2 1/4 pounds butter, cool, for butter block
• 1 egg
• 16-18 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate, if making pains au chocolat

Details

Servings 24

Preparation

Step 1

1. Microwave milk in one-minute increments until it reaches 105-115 degrees. Stir in yeast and proof for 10 minutes, until foamy.

2. Add about 1 pound of flour and mix by hand. Add sugar and mix in with dough scraper. Add remaining flour and salt, and mix in just to combine. Turn out onto well-floured surface and knead 10 times (only). Put back into bowl, cover with plastic, and refrigerate 1 hour.

3. Meanwhile, cut butter into about 16 slices and lay on middle two-thirds of a 16” x 24” piece of parchment paper. Let sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes. Cover with another sheet and roll out to make a block that is 17” wide and 16” long. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

4. Remove dough from refrigerator and press into a square. Roll out into an 18” x 24” rectangle. Place the butter block on one side of the dough and fold the edges over to “lock” it in. Fold the extra 1/3 of dough over, and then fold the other side in like a letter. Press to seal the edges.

5. Turn the dough so the folded edge faces you, and roll out to be 12” (away from you) by 35” (left to right). Fold in thirds (to make almost a 12” square_, place on sheet pan, cover with plastic, and refrigerate 1 hour.

6. Repeat turns and rests two more times. After third turn, wrap loosely with plastic and refrigerate overnight.

7. The next day, roll dough to at least 18” x 26” (left-to-right) x ½” (tall) for croissants or 16” x 30” x ½” for pain au chocolat. Be sure to feather dough (release it from the work surface) before final measurement. Cut in half lengthwise, cover with plastic, and let rest 30 minutes.

8. For croissants, mark at 4” intervals along one long side of each piece. Along other long side, move 2” in and mark at 4” intervals. Use pizza cutter to connect diagonal marks to make triangles. Cut a small slit in the short side of each triangle and stretch the corners apart to open the slit. Roll from that side up to tip, and curve with lines converging at curve. Place on parchment-covered sheets.

9. For pain au chocolat, cut into 5” x 4” rectangles. Place generous 0.75 ounce shopped chocolate in a line close to one long edge, and roll up the long way. Lay, seam-side down, on parchment-covered sheets.

10. Cover loosely with plastic and let sit at room temperature until puffy, 30-60 minutes. (Can freeze at this point.) Preheat the oven to 365 degrees.

11. Beat the egg with 1 tablespoon water and brush over the pastries. Bake 15-18 minutes, until dark golden brown.