Pan au chocolat: Easy to make French pastry at home
When it comes to baking, there are a lot of intricate steps that go into producing a perfect pastry. But don’t worry – with a little bit of practice, you can make all your favorite French pastries at home using nothing more than some basic ingredients and a little bit of time. In this article, we’ll show you how to make one of France’s most popular desserts – the pan au chocolat.
What is a Pan au chocolat?
A pan au chocolat is a simple French pastry that is made from chocolate and flour. It’s one of the most popular French pastries, which translates to “bread with chocolate.” The mere mention of the name evokes memories of a delicious French breakfast with hot pastries and fresh coffee that I used to have every day during my stay in Paris.
This recipe might seem difficult, but rest assured that it isn’t. The time spent in kitchen is far less than you might expect because there are only a few easy steps and the dough needs to rest a lot. Try them while they’re still hot.
How to make pan au chocolat?
You’ll need the following ingredients to make the divine French pastry.
Ingredients
- Four teaspoons of instant dried yeast
- 3 1/2 cups of bread flour
- 1/2 cup of warm water
- 1/2 cups of milk
- 1/3 cup sugar, granulated
- 3 tablespoons of melted and cooled unsalted butter
- Salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons
- 1 cup melted unsalted butter
- 9 ounces of finely chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
- One big egg or two small eggs
- Milk, 2 tablespoons
Follow these tips to make sure your pan au chocolat is perfect every time.
1. Give the yeast five minutes to dissolve in the warm water.
2. The dissolved yeast and water should be combined with the bread flour, milk, sugar, melted butter, and salt. Mix the dough for about 2 minutes on medium speed. The dough should be just firm enough to shape without sticking if it is too sticky. If necessary, add 1 tablespoon more flour at a time.
3. Create a dough ball and loosely wrap it in plastic. 30 minutes of resting time at room temperature is recommended.
4. After 30 minutes make a big rectangle by rolling out the dough.
5. Allow it to rise for 40 minutes with a loose cover.
6. Now apply a thin layer of softened butter to the rectangle and fold the dough into thirds.
7. Wrap it in plastic, and let it rest in the fridge for an hour.
8. Now cut the dough crosswise into 12 rectangles.
9. Cut the chocolate into 12 lengths with a sharp knife (don’t worry if it breaks a little). Each piece of dough should have a row of chocolate along one edge. Then, roll the dough over, forming a sausage.
10. On a baking sheet with greaseproof paper, spread out the pain au chocolat. Wrap in oiled cling film and let stand for an hour to prove.
11. The oven should be preheated to 220°C (fan 200°C, gas mark 7). The pan au chocolat should be baked for 15 minutes or until golden.
12. Serve hot.
Conclusion
If you’re a fan of French pastry, then you’ll love this easy to make pan au chocolat recipe. This pastry is simple to make and requires just a few ingredients, so it’s perfect for when you want something special but don’t have time to spend in the kitchen. Have fun giving this classic dessert a try and see how much better it tastes than anything you can buy in a store!
