Take the sweet, flaky dough of a croissant, craft it into a rectangle-shaped pastry, add a chocolate center that melts when baked, and voila: you have pain au chocolat, France’s best gift to the world since, well, the croissant. These tasty confections are a valuable asset for any aspiring baker, and best of all, ours are easy to store and require very little preparation.
A pain au chocolat (sometimes known as a chocolate croissant) is made from the same laminated layers of dough that give croissants their characteristically crisp, buttery texture. However, these are more pillow-like in shape, and are filled with a delicious chocolate filling that takes the croissant’s perfection to a whole other level (trust the French to improve upon the already flawless!).
Another similarity with the croissant: they’re not the simplest confection to make from scratch. But fear not! Our pains au chocolat have already been carefully created using the finest ingredients, saving you the hassle of making them yourself. All you need to do is place them on a baking sheet (while still frozen), egg wash them, and bake them at 400 degree F for 15-20 minutes, until they’re golden, crisp and flaky on the outside. Combine them with a hot black coffee or glass of orange juice for a simple yet tasty breakfast, brunch or snack. There’s a reason the French swear by these things. Time to find out for yourself!