Croissants & Pain au Chocolat

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, sugar and yeast. Add warm milk and softened butter, mixing until you form a dough. Knead for about 5-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Let the dough rest in a lightly greased bowl, covered with a damp cloth, for 1-1.5 hours or until doubled in size.
• Place 150g of butter between two sheets of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, pound the butter into a flat square about 1 cm thick. Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
• Punch down the dough and roll it into a rectangle about 1 cm thick. Place the chilled butter in the centre and fold the dough over it like an envelope. Roll it out into a long rectangle, then fold it into thirds like a letter. Chill for 30 minutes. Repeat the folding process twice more, chilling between each fold.
• Roll the dough out into a large rectangle. For croissants, cut the dough into triangles. For Pain au Chocolat, place a piece of chocolate at the base of each triangle. Roll tightly from the base to the tip, ensuring the chocolate stays inside.
• Place the shaped pastries on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with a cloth and allow them to proof for 1-1.5 hours, until puffed up.
• Preheat your oven to 200°C (390°F). Brush the croissants and Pain au Chocolat with an egg wash (1 beaten egg with a tablespoon of water). Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and flaky.
• Let the pastries cool for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy fresh out of the oven, or freeze before baking to enjoy later.