Rye Flour Pains au Chocolat (Chocolate Croissants) (2024)

I pretty much went to pastry school for the sole purpose of learning to make croissants. (That and because my mom was kind enough to spring for the tuition – thanks, Mom!) Previous attempts at the flaky French classic included a version made in a hundred-degree kitchen on a San Fernando Valley Summer's day, and one "healthy" version made with spelt flour and yogurt. Both resulted in flat, malformed breads with few flakes. It was time to seek professional help.

Not only did my teacher Claire deliver with a perfectly flaky dough technique, I also got to intern with her at Cafe Cacao, where I had the privilege of learning even more of her croissant-making secrets.

I was relating all of this to Craig Lee, food photographer for the San Francisco Chronicle, when he let me sit in on a shoot with him, and he asked if I would give him a croissant tutorial. He and Vijay Nathan of NoshOn.It watched the process and kindly took some shots in my kitchen the other day while I kneaded, folded and rolled.

My favorite croissant dough recipe comes from Baking Illustrated; it has a good ratio of salt, sugar, and butter to dough, and they streamline a few of the steps along the way, which means less hands-on time. At their essence, croissants are comprised of a yeasted dough enriched with a bit of milk and butter (called the detrempe) rolled up with a large block of butter. A series of rolls and folds, called lamination, creates dozens of thin sheets of butter between layers of dough. When the dough hits the heat of the oven, steam from the butter pushes up the layer of dough above it, causing the pastry to rise into a series of buttery flakes. This process is the same one that gives puff pastry and danish dough (and my ultra-flaky pie dough, and these biscuits) their many
layers.

Inspired by David Lebovitz's post on whole wheat croissants, I decided to try these with rye and bread flours. They turned out just as puffy and flaky as regular croissants, but with deeper flavor and pretty flecks of grain and germ from the rye. Lacking rye flour, you can make these with all all-purpose flour, or with whole wheat bread flour in place of the rye. I like making pains au chocolat best – they're easier to shape than
plain croissants, and, hey, they're filled with chocolate, too. Plus, I like chocolate and rye together.

Croissant dough isn't at all difficult to make once you understand the basic principles. Here are the steps, with photos, to making light, flaky pains au chocolat, with some extra tips and tricks I've picked up along the way. (The full recipe's down below.)

1) Make the detrempe

Heat some whole milk over a low flame until it is just warm to the touch, and pour it in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough
hook. Sprinkle some yeast over the milk and let stand 10 minutes to soften. Add rye flour, bread flour, sugar and salt to
the bowl. Mix the dough on medium-low speed for seven minutes, adding
more bread flour by the tablespoon until the dough comes away from the
sides of the bowl but still feels slightly sticky to the touch. Add some softened butter a little at a time and mix until completely
incorporated.

Photo Credit: Vijay Nathan | NoshOn.It

Note: If you don't have a mixer, you can easily make the dough by hand in a
bowl with a wooden spoon. Stir in the flour slowly, then the butter. Turn the dough out
onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for about 10 minutes.

Either way, place the dough in a medium bowl, cover tightly, and chill
for at least 1 hour and up to 1 day. Note: Longer chilling means more flavorful pastries. My teacher Claire would make the detrempe one day, laminate it the next, shape the croissants on the third day, and bake them off on the fourth day. They were the best I've ever had.

2) Make the butter block

by beating cold butter on medium-high speed in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until the butter is smooth and chunk-free. Form it into a thin square on a piece of plastic wrap, cover, and chill for 30 minutes. The butter should be cool, but pliable. Note: You can also make the butter block by beating the three sticks of butter with a rolling pin on a piece of parchment paper. This is loud, but it gets out your aggression and can be rather therapeutic. Note #2: I'm down with anything that has the word "butter block" in it.

3) Laminate the dough

I've seen many ways to get the butter into the dough; this is the method that I learned in pastry school, and the one that I use. Pat the dough into a square on a surface dusted lightly with rye flour. Use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll out each corner of dough into a thin flap, leaving a thick diamond shape in the center of the dough.

Photo credit: Craig Lee | CraigLeePhoto.com

Pat down the diamond to flatten it to the same dimensions as the butter block. Unwrap the butter block and place it over the diamond.

Photo credit: Craig Lee | CraigLeePhoto.com

Fold the flaps up over the butter, enclosing the butter within the dough. (My friend Shelley pointed out that this is rather like putting a diaper on a baby.)

Photo credit: Craig Lee | CraigLeePhoto.com

A note on butter: If there is one secret to making good croissants, it is having the butter at the proper temperature. It should be soft enough to be malleable when rolling out the dough, yet firm and cold enough to hold its shape and stay separate from the dough. If the dough begins to feel wet or sticky because the butter has become too warm, slide it onto a sheet pan and chill for 10 minutes or so to firm up the butter. Conversely, if the butter cracks as you roll out the dough because the butter is too cold, let it stand at room temperature for 10 minutes and try again. I always use organic Strauss European-Style butter, which has a higher fat content than other butters (around 85% rather than 70%).

4) Make the first (two) turns

Use a lightly floured rolling pin to begin tapping, pressing, and rolling the dough out into a large rectangle. As you work, flour the dough, pin, and surface with just enough rye flour to keep it from sticking. Tip: I like to have a pastry brush handy to brush away excess flour, too much of which will make the croissants bready and tough.

Photo credit: Craig Lee | CraigLeePhoto.com

Roll the dough out into a large rectangle that is about 3/8" thick; the dimensions don't matter. Fold the short ends of the dough into thirds, like folding a letter. Beginning with a short end, roll the dough up into a loose spiral. Wrap and chill 1 hour.

Photo credit: Craig Lee | CraigLeePhoto.com

Note: traditional croissants call for a single turn (folding the dough in thirds), three to four times, with an hour-long rest in between each turn. I prefer the method here, from Baking Illustrated, which gets two turns done in one go. Additionally, the spiral of dough is smaller and easier to wrap and store in the fridge than a long, skinny rectangle.

5) Repeat step 4 once more

Chill the dough for 1 hour or up to 1 - 2 days. Note: Longer chilling means tastier croissants with a better texture. The chill allows the dough to ferment slowly, giving the croissants that old-world bread flavor (think sourdough or pain au levain). The rest gives the glutens time to relax which makes the dough easier to roll out and results in more tender pastry.

6) Shape the pains au chocolat

Roll the dough out into a 12 by 18" rectangle, dusting the surface with rye flour as needed and sweeping away the excess with a pastry brush. Trim away the outer inch or so of dough to make an even rectangle. (Save the scraps – I'll show you what you can do with them in a mo.)

Use a pizza wheel or sharp chef's knife to cut the dough in half the long way, then cut each half into six smaller rectangles.

Place some good, dark chocolate down the center of each rectangle, the short way.

Fold up each end so that the edges overlap loosely. Place the pastry seam side-down on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper (for easy clean-up).

I filled a few with sliced apples and sharp cheddar – highly recommended!

Here are a few more filling ideas:
-Cheese (sharp cheddar, aged gruyère or goat cheese, asiago, pecorino, parmesan, or something smokey – go wild!)
-slices of apple, ripe but firm pear, or poached quince
-smoked turkey, ham, prosciutto, or cooked bacon
-fresh soft herbs (basil, oregano, chives, thyme)
-caramelized onion, roasted garlic, or green onion
-pesto
-frangipane or almond paste
-peaches, cherries, apricots, or berries
-cinnamon or cardamom sugar

You can also use croissant dough as a pie or quiche crust. Just roll it to 1/4" thick and line a pie pan in the usual way.

I like to tie the edge scraps into loose knots and sprinkle them with cinnamon sugar. Mmm...

Note: If you don't wish to bake all the pastries at once, they can be frozen on a baking sheet, then transferred to a freezer bag. You'll need to let them defrost at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator before proofing and baking.

7) Proof those puppies:

Now you need to let your little masterpieces rise, or "proof." My favorite way to do this is to slip the whole baking sheet in a large, clean, plastic trash bag, inflate the bag so that it isn't touching the croissants, and secure it shut with a clothespin. Alternately, you can cover the croissants with plastic wrap sprayed with non-stick spray. They need the moisture kept in, otherwise the outer edges will dry and form a crust which will prevent them from rising properly. Let the pastries rise in a warm-ish spot until they're puffy; they won't double in bulk. If you poke one gently, it's ready to bake if the depression left by your finger doesn't bounce back.

8) Bake!

Unwrap the pastries and brush them with an egg that you've beaten very smooth. This gives the baked pastries a beautiful burnished sheen.

Pop the pan in a hot oven, and bake until the croissants are a deep golden brown. A hot oven is essential for giving the layers a quick burst of upward motion, and a thorough bake ensures flaky crispness.

9) Eat!

This is (clearly) the most important step of the croissant making process. There are few things more divine in this world than a warm-from-the-oven croissant; ones made with rye flour and oozing with dark chocolate are even better, though I say it myself. Craig and I sat down with some friends and a pot of tea to enjoy our creations, proving that weekly croissant parties should really be a thing.

More Chocolate Recipes:

• Chocolate Crusted Chèvre Cheesecake
• Triple Chocolate Layer Pie with a Hazelnut-Cocoa Crust {gluten-free}
• No-Bake Chocolate Cream Tart {vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, refined sugar-free}
• Chocolate Things

*Bojon appétit!For more Bojon Gourmet in your life, follow along onInstagram,Facebook,orPinterest, purchase my gluten-free cookbookAlternative Baker, orsubscribe to receive new posts via email. And if you make this pains au chocolat recipe, I’d love to know. Leave a comment and rating below, and tag your Instagram snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet.*

Adapted from Baking Illustrated

The instructions below are abbreviated; have a read through the post
above for more details, tips, and notes, particularly if this is your
first time making croissants. A few key points:
-Give yourself at least 8 hours and up to 3 days to complete this project to allow for the chilling, rising, and baking. The vast majority of this is inactive.
-Croissant dough likes to stay cool, so if it is particularly warm in
your kitchen, be prepared to chill the dough frequently as you work with
it in order to keep the butter cold and ensure a flaky finished
product.
-Use European-style butter which has a higher fat content and will make for more flaky, buttery croissants
-You can substitute all-purpose flour for the bread flour in a pinch, but the finished pastries may be less flaky. You can also use whole wheat flour instead of rye, or all-purpose flour in place of both flours.
-Don't feel the need to stop at chocolate – see the post above for more sweet and savory filling ideas (thinly sliced apples and sharp cheddar are a favorite)
-All ounce measurements here are by weight

Makes 12 medium-sized pains au chocolat

For the rye flour croissant dough:
1 1/4 cups (10 ounces / 285 grams) whole milk
1 1/2 tablespoons (1/3 ounce / 11 grams) active dry yeast (from 1 1/2 packets)
3/4 cup (3.5 ounces / 100 grams) rye flour, plus more for rolling the dough
2 cups (10 ounces / 285 grams) bread flour, more as needed
1/4 cup (2 ounces / 55 grams) organic cane sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt
2 tablespoons (1 ounce / 30 grams) unsalted butter, cut into small chunks and softened slightly
3 sticks (1.5 cups / 340 grams) unsalted butter, cut into cubes and kept cold

For the pains au chocolat:
8 ounces (225 grams) bittersweet chocolate (60-70% cacao mass), broken into chunks or chopped coarsely
1 egg, beaten until foamy

Prepare the detrempe:
Heat the milk over a low flame until it is just warm to the touch (110 - 120ºF), and place in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Sprinkle the yeast over the milk and let stand 10 minutes. Add the 3/4 cup rye flour, 2 cups of the bread flour, and the sugar and salt to the bowl. Mix the dough on medium-low speed for 7 minutes, adding more bread flour by the tablespoon within the first 2 minutes until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl but still feels slightly sticky to the touch. Add the softened butter a little at a time and mix until completely incorporated. Scrape the dough into a medium-sized bowl, cover tightly, and chill for 1 hour. This dough is called the detrempe. (No need to wash the mixer just yet.)

Prepare the butter block:
Meanwhile, place the 3 sticks of cold butter cubes in the bowl of the stand mixer and beat with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until the butter is smooth, but still cool. Scrape the butter onto a piece of plastic wrap and shape it into a fairly thin 6" square. Chill the butter block 30 minutes.

Laminate the dough:
Scrape the chilled detrempe onto a surface dusted lightly with rye flour and shape it into a square. Use the blades of your hands to press a diamond shape into the center of the detrempe leaving 4 triangular wings. Roll out the wings into flaps and flatten the center diamond slightly. Place the butter square atop the diamond, and fold the flaps up over the butter to enclose it.

Gently begin rolling the dough into a large rectangle, dusting the rolling pin and surface with just enough rye flour to keep the dough from sticking, and brushing off the excess flour with a pastry brush. When the dough is thin enough that you can see the butter through the dough (but not so thin that it breaks and exposes the butter), fold the rectangle in thirds, like folding a letter. Starting with a short end, roll the dough into a loose spiral. Wrap the dough and chill 1 hour to relax the dough and firm up the butter. Repeat the rolling and folding process once more. Wrap the dough and chill at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.

Shape the pastries:
Roll the dough out into a 12x18" rectangle, dusting the surface with rye flour as needed and sweeping away the excess with a pastry brush. Trim away the outer inch or so of dough to form an even rectangle. (The scraps can be tied into loose knots, brushed with egg wash, dusted with cinnamon sugar and baked.) Use a pizza wheel or sharp chef's knife to cut the dough in half the long way, then cut each half crosswise into six smaller rectangles. Place about 3/4 ounce of chocolate down the center of each rectangle, the short way, and fold up each end so that the edges overlap loosely. Repeat with the remaining rectangles. Place the pastries seam side-down on two rimmed baking sheets lined with parchment paper (for easy clean-up).

Slip the whole baking sheet into a large, clean, plastic trash bag, inflate the bag so that it isn't touching the croissants, and secure it shut with a clothespin. (Alternately, you can cover the croissants loosely with plastic wrap sprayed with non-stick spray.) Let the pastries rise in a warm-ish spot until they're puffy, 1 - 1 1/2 hours; they won't double in bulk. If you poke one gently, it's ready to bake if the depression left by your finger doesn't bounce back.

Meanwhile, position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 400ºF.

Bake the pains au chocolat:
Unwrap the pastries and brush them with the beaten egg. Bake the pastries until deep golden brown, 18-22 minutes, rotating the pans once toward the end of the baking time. Let the pastries cool for at least 10 minutes. Pains au chocolat are best when warm, when the chocolate is still soft, but extras will keep at room temperature for up to a few days. Rewarm in an oven or toaster oven for yummiest results. Baked pastries can also be frozen and "refreshed" in a hot oven when ready to eat.

You might also like...