Shellfish Free Pain au Chocolat
Few things in the pastry world feel as luxurious as biting through shattering, buttery layers to reach a molten core of dark chocolate. This classic French pastry is built entirely from flour, butter, milk, eggs, sugar, and dark chocolate — straightforward ingredients with zero hidden seafood derivatives or cross-contamination concerns that can sneak into store-bought versions. The real magic here is the lamination process, where cold butter is folded and rolled into the dough across three careful turns, creating those impossibly flaky, honeycomb layers that puff dramatically in a hot oven. It's a project recipe, no question — the dough needs rest time in the refrigerator between turns — but each step is approachable if you work patiently and keep everything cold. Two dark chocolate batons tucked into each rectangle before rolling guarantee a generous, gooey center in every single bite. The double egg wash gives the finished pastries that deep, glossy amber color you'd expect from a Parisian boulangerie window. Pull them from the oven, let them cool just enough to handle, and try not to eat three in a row.
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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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