Pain Au Chocolat

1. Stage

In the large bowl of a stand mixer, whisk granulated sugar, salt, and 4 cups flour to combine. Whisk in yeast, then pour in milk. Attach dough hook and beat on medium speed just until combined. Add 4 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon at a time and beating after each addition, until fully combined. Continue to beat until a smooth, slightly sticky dough forms, about 5 minutes.

2. Stage

Grease a large bowl with butter. Transfer dough to prepared bowl. Loosely cover and let rise at room temperature until almost doubled in size, about 2 hours. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to overnight. 

3. Stage

About 40 minutes before rolling out dough, in a large bowl, using a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat remaining 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter and 2 tablespoons flour until smooth. Place butter mixture in the center of a large sheet of parchment. Fold parchment to an 8" square. Roll out butter mixture until it reaches borders and corners of square. Refrigerate until butter is cold but bendable and not solid, about 30 minutes. The goal is to have the dough slightly colder than the butter.

4. Stage

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 16"-by-9" rectangle. The edges don’t have to be perfect, but the more squared off they are, the better.

5. Stage

Place butter block in the center of dough. Fold dough over butter so edges meet in the center. Gently pull edges to perfectly line up. Turn dough seam side down and roll to a 15"-by-12" rectangle. With the longer end facing you, fold right side into the middle, then fold left side over, like a letter. Rotate dough 90° so long side faces you. Roll dough to a 15"-by-12" rectangle again and repeat same folds. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.

6. Stage

Roll dough to a 15"-x-12" rectangle and repeat same folds, rotating dough once. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

7. Stage

Let dough sit at room temperature 10 minutes. On lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 20"-by-12" rectangle. If dough stretches back or doesn’t seem to be rolling easily, let it rest for a few minutes. (You may need to let the dough rest a couple times during this process.) Trim any edges that aren’t smooth.

8. Stage

With the long end facing you, cut dough in half lengthwise so that you have 2 (20"-by-6") pieces. Cut each piece into 5 (6"-by-4") rectangles for a total of 10.

9. Stage

Place 1 baking baton about 1" up from bottom of rectangle, then fold dough over chocolate once. Place another chocolate baton right at the fold, then continue to roll until seam is underneath.

10. Stage

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Place rolled dough on prepared sheets and loosely cover with a kitchen towel. Let rise until puffed, 2 to 3 hours (they may not fully double in size but, when gently poked, should spring back slowly).

11. Stage

Preheat oven to 400°. In a small bowl, beat egg and a splash of water. Brush tops of dough with egg wash.

12. Stage

Bake croissants, rotating trays top to bottom halfway through, until deeply golden and puffed, 20 to 22 minutes.