Triple Chocolate Croissants

Chocolate in the dough, chocolate in the butter, chocolate in the center. That was the dream I had in my mind! I scoured the internet for a recipe. Finding nothing, I gave up and decided to create one.

And so I dedicated my 2024 summer to playing mad sourdoughist and created this. It was a delicious experiment and I hope you enjoy! You can check out the process on my instagram page. QR code at the end to watch!

BUTTER BLOCK

280g room temperature butter

30g cocoa

-Add the above to a mixer and beat together with the paddle attachment.

-Prepare your parchment square 17cm x 20cm

-Add your chocolate butter to the middle, fold up parchment, and gently roll out evenly. Place in the fridge.

ONE HOUR BEFORE STARTING

75g hot expresso/dark roast coffee

75g water

40g cocoa

Mix all ingredients the bowl for your mixer.
Cover and let sit for an hour to bloom.

CHOCOLATE CROISSANT DOUGH

The above bloomed chocolate

150g starter

100g water

50g milk

60g sugar

520g bread flour

40g softened butter

9g salt if using salted butter, if unsalted butter increase to 12g)

7g vanilla

Knead all but vanilla, salt and softened butter, with the dough hook, for 5 minutes on level 2.
Let rest for 20 minutes, covered.
Add vanilla and salt, mix with dough hook for 2 minutes.
Slowly add butter, a TBS at a time. Be sure to mix each TBS completely before adding the next.
Knead for 7-10 minutes on level 2. It will be tacky but should not be sticky.
Move to a bowl
Cover and let rest 4 hours. You’re looking for about a 40% rise.
Move into refrigerator 8-12 hours.

The next day…

Remove dough and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Remove butter block and let rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. You want it cold but pliable.
Roll dough 20cm x 34 cm
Add butter block to the middle.

Fold dough to meet in the middle

Pinch the seams together

Roll out to 20cm x 60cm

Do a single fold
Rest x 15 minutes in the refrigerator
Roll back out to 20cm x 60cm
Then do a double fold
Trim the edges of the top and bottom.
Be sure to dust any extra flour between the layers and mist lightly with water before folding.

Then roll the dough back out to 20cm x 40cm.
Wrap with plastic wrap and set in fridge for 20 minutes.
Remove and finish rolling out to 20cm x 75cm
If for any reason your dough starts to get tight . Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
If it seems to get warm at any time, wrap and place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. A chilled dough is a key to success!

Dust flour off and mist lightly with water

Trim edges of top and bottom. (Not pictured but an important step)
Then preform a single fold.

Be sure to dust and spray between each time you layer the dough together.

Place the dough into a gallon ziplock or wrap well with plastic wrap.
Set in the fridge for another 8-24 hours

Remove from refrigerator and let rest at room temperature in the bag/wrapper for 30-45 minutes
Flour surface well and roll out to 35cm x 45cm-48cm.
If dough begins to tighten, let rest covered for 15 minutes before continuing to roll.

Trim your edges. Very important so all your layers will be visible.
Use the four pieces to create some fun treats, like mini cruffins or my favorite, wrap them around a pice of chocolate. Waste not!

Then measure out 8cm marks on the long part of the dough. Do this on the top and bottom so you can use your ruler to create even lines.

Use a pastry cutter or long knife.
Separate and then create your diagonal line and cut.

Dust flour off both sides and lightly mist with water.
Add your chocolate and begin to roll them up. Gently stretching the dough slightly. At the end of the roll, take your last inch of dough(the tip) and push down and out away from the croissant and roll your croissant on top, creating a base and tight seal for your roll.

Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet spread out. With my size baking tray I need two of them. 5 croissants on each.
Then mist one last time with water and cover and place in plastic bag to proof.
I find that a Reynolds’s oven bag for cooking king turkey works well for this. I also add a tall jar in the middle to keep the bag from resting on top of the croissants.
Let them proof at room temperature(70°-75°) for 10-12 hours. Until they are doubled, poofy and layers are separating.

Preheat oven to 400°
Mix together one egg and a TBS milk. Whisk well and strain.
Gently brush over the tops. Being careful not to apply to the layers on the side.
Cook for 20-25 minutes.