Twisted Chocolate Croissants
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Simplified viennoiserie dough wrapped around dark chocolate batons with a subtle orange twist. A golden egg wash with honey replaces the usual cream for a faint caramelized gloss. Leavened until puffs double in volume, then baked until deeply bronzed and crisp. Substitutes almond flour for part of the wheat flour for drier texture and flakes instead of traditional chocolate on some pieces. The dough’s elasticity and layering give a tender crumb with occasional crumbly edges. Aromatic notes of orange zest and honey intertwine with bittersweet chocolate during baking.
Prep:
35 min
Cook:
20 min
Total:
55 min
Servings:
8 servings
#French bakery
#viennoiserie
#chocolate pastry
#homemade croissants
#baking tips
Forget fussing over multi-day laminated dough. This simplified viennoiserie lets you romp and fold with chocolate batons waiting inside — bits melted and good but not sloppy pools. You want layers gentle but distinct, not bricks. Honey in the glaze? Not usual, but stops dull browns, gives subtle caramel snap. Toss in orange zest for personality, brightness cutting the bittersweet. Dark chocolate flakes on some add happy crunch contrasts. Learned from earlier attempts that pace of proofing and even folding are crucial — too rushed and dense, too slow and flop. Keep an eye on the dough, feel it, watch how it grows, how the chocolate melts, listen to the quiet crack of crust as it browns.
Ingredients
- 1 simplified viennoiserie dough
- 60 g dark chocolate batons
- 25 g dark chocolate flakes
Glaze
- 1 egg yolk
- 20 ml whole milk
- 5 ml honey
- 1 tsp finely grated orange zest
About the ingredients
Simplified viennoiserie dough saves time but still delicate—adjust flour to humidity. Partial almond flour addition dries crumb, adds nutty depth, but trade-off with extra crumbs is real; not for every bite. Batons of dark chocolate lend the classic shape and molten center, but flakes switch up texture if you want variation when serving. Glaze swap: cream or milk replaced with honey for amber sheen and gentle sweetness, orange zest sharpens aroma and cuts fattiness. If allergic or no honey, maple syrup or agave work but change flavor profile. Handle dough minimally, extra flour’s enemy but no flour means sticky nightmares. Rest dough chilled if too soft. Chocolate? Anything from bittersweet to semi-sweet, even milk if kids nibble. Stored properly in airtight containers, best day of baking. Any overproofing and dough falls flat in oven—watch rise, trust touch.
Method
Chocolate Pieces
- 1. Line baking sheet with silicone mat or parchment. Keep it flat, no wrinkles, they trap steam and wreck crisp edges.
- 2. Lightly dust work surface with flour — not too much or dough stiffens — roll dough into rectangle about 50 x 24 cm (20 x 9.5 inches), ~6 mm thick. Trim edges roughly but don’t obsess, slight unevenness won’t ruin croissants.
- 3. Cut dough horizontally into 8 equal rectangles approximately 25 x 6 cm (10 x 2.5 inches) each. Don’t press too hard with knife; clean cuts keep shapes tight.
- 4. On each piece, lay two lines of dark chocolate batons spaced 2 cm and 4.5 cm apart from one short edge. On half the rectangles, sprinkle dark chocolate flakes atop batons for a textural surprise.
- 5. Fold the closest short edge over the first chocolate baton, enveloping it snugly. Then fold dough over itself three more times, total of four folds, sealing chocolate inside. This creates compact rolls to trap molten chocolate pools later.
- 6. Place rolled pastries seam side down on the baking sheet, spaced at least 3 cm apart — they'll puff up.
- 7. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise in warm spot 50 – 60 minutes or until doubled. Dough should feel airy, soft to touch, not sticky or overly wet. If under-risen, pastries stay dense; over-risen means collapse during baking.
Glaze Preparation
- 8. Whisk egg yolk with milk, honey, and grated orange zest. Honey adds caramel notes and hue; orange zest lifts aroma cutting chocolate richness.
- 9. Before baking, brush glaze evenly over all rolls. Avoid pooling of glaze, which can burn and create bitter spots.
Baking
- 10. Preheat oven to 175 °C (350 °F), rack in middle.
- 11. Bake pastries 18 – 22 minutes until golden bronze with darker caramel tones on edges. Surface should be firm yet slightly springy when pressed gently. If shiny or pale, bake longer; dull dark color but not burnt is best.
- 12. Remove from oven; cool on wire rack 30 minutes minimum before biting in. Inside should be flaky but moist; chocolate molten but not oozing dangerously.
- 13. Serve warm or room temp. For crunchier crust, reheat briefly before eating.
Troubleshooting
- 14. Dough too sticky? Chill 15 min before cutting. Chocolate melting too fast? Use semi-hard batons or chill rolled croissants prior to baking 10 min.
- 15. No glaze? Brush milk alone or egg white with pinch of sugar instead.
- 16. Out of chocolate? Use hazelnut spread piped in lines — flavor changes but texture remains luscious.
- 17. Overbaked? Crust will crack and bitter; underbaked remain dense. Use sight, touch, and aroma cues more than rigid times.
Cooking tips
Stepwise is guideline, but bread baking demands feeling. Dough should stretch when folded, not resist or stick to your fingers. Folding 4 full turns traps air and shapes dough’s layers; rush this step and taste flatness. Chocolate placed near edge means molten surprise under crisp dough wrapping, not everywhere or messy. Proofing often feels like waiting, but test with gentle finger dab—bounce back means perfect. Glaze spreads thinly—too thick pools burn, too thin no shine. Baking time adjusted ±3 minutes depending on oven hot spots or rack position. Pay attention to crust color — start checking after 15 minutes. When pulling from oven, smell must be warm with caramel and faint orange notes. Cooling yields better sliceability. Don’t rush snack mode; molten chocolate burns your tongue, wait that wire rack moment, tactile test of firmness. If you get crumbs or gummy texture, revisit dough temp or handling. Efficiency trick: while dough rises, prep glaze and clean up; multitasking in boulangerie world saves hours. My experience says trust your instincts more than clock here—each kitchen, dough, batch sings a different story.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Dust work surface lightly, avoid excess flour or dough stiffens fast; not enough flour? Sticky mess, hard folds. Trim edges rough but don’t obsess; unevenness won’t ruin final shape or crumb. Dough elasticity key; folds trap air layers—four folds precisely, no less or roll collapses.
- 💡 Chocolate placement near edge gives molten pools when baking; batons melt slower than flakes - flakes add crisp contrast but can burn faster. Use semi-hard if melting too quick. Folding tight seals chocolate inside; too loose leads to leakage, slick mess baking sheet.
- 💡 Glaze mix not just shine but controls caramelization; honey brings amber glow and caramel snap, orange zest lifts bitterness, cuts deep chocolate notes. Brush thinly to avoid pools; pooling burns fast spots. If no honey, swap maple or agave but flavors shift noticeably.
- 💡 Proofing critical: dough doubled means airy but not soggy; finger dent bounces back slow? Proof more but careful - overproof collapses structure. Temperature 50-60 mins warm spot ideal. Underproof means dense, heavy bites—know dough feel, watch rise quietly.
- 💡 Bake on middle rack at 175°C; check crust color after 15 minutes - golden bronze with darker edges signals readiness. Shiny or pale means underbake, dull too dark means close to burnt. Cool 30 mins on wire rack; hot chocolate can burn tongue, crumb firms for slicing.
Common questions
How to prevent croissants from getting soggy?
Proof properly — no over or under. Dough tight, folds sealed. Baking tray dry, no steam traps. Use parchment or silicone - no wrinkles. Cool fully before storing. Warm reheating crisp edges back.
What if I run out of dark chocolate?
Use hazelnut spread piped in lines for molten pockets. Different texture but still rich. Or semi-sweet chips; melt faster though. Flakes add crunch but burn quick; adjust bake time.
Dough too sticky, how to handle?
Chill 15 minutes. Flour work surface sparingly; excess dries crumb. Keep hands cool, fold gently. Sticky means gluten too active or humidity high. If sticky still, rest longer or add tiny flour bits flour can betray texture.
Best way to store leftovers?
Airtight container room temp for day of baking. Refrigerate makes crumb dry fast. Freeze wrapped well to keep moisture. Reheat brief in oven restores crisp crust; microwave ruins layers and texture.
