Breastfeeding Friendly Pain au Chocolat
Flaky, buttery, and filled with melting dark chocolate, this classic French pastry is one of those treats that feels genuinely indulgent — and when you're nursing, indulging in something truly satisfying matters more than people give it credit for. The ingredient list is refreshingly straightforward: real butter, whole milk, flour, dark chocolate, and a handful of pantry staples with no additives, preservatives, or mystery ingredients to second-guess. Whole milk and unsalted butter bring in healthy fats that support both energy levels and milk production, making this more than just a splurge. The lamination process — folding cold butter into the dough across three careful turns — is what creates those impossibly thin, shatteringly crisp layers that make a proper pain au chocolat so memorable. Yes, it takes patience and a few rounds of chilling, but none of the steps are technically difficult, and the process is deeply satisfying to work through. Dark chocolate batons tucked into each roll melt into rich, bittersweet pockets that pair perfectly with the buttery pastry surrounding them. Pull one apart while it's still warm and you'll understand immediately why this recipe is worth every minute of resting time.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
For the dough
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 2 tsp instant yeast
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 ½ tsp fine salt
- ¾ cup whole milk, cold
- ¼ cup water, cold
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
For the butter block
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 225g) unsalted butter, cold
For the filling
- 16 dark chocolate batons (or 4 oz dark chocolate, cut into 16 short sticks)
For the egg wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp whole milk
Instructions
- 1
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, instant yeast, sugar, and salt. Add the cold milk and cold water, then mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms, about 2 minutes. Add the 2 tbsp softened butter and increase to medium speed, mixing until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 5 minutes. The dough should be slightly tacky but not sticky.
- 2
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, shape it into a flat rectangle roughly 6×8 inches, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
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