Directions
Prepare Your Butter Block
Cut your butter into 3 equal length pieces (about 4 tablespoons—or half a standard stick of butter in length). Place butter in your forming envelope, and fold over the open top to seal. Using a rolling pin, beat down the butter until it is uniformly flat and all corners are filled.
Don’t worry if the parchment envelope splits. Just reshape into a square. Move butter (in envelope) to the fridge to re-chill.
Proof Yeast
In a small bowl, mix full packet of yeast, 3/4 cup warm water, and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Let sit until hydrated, about 5 minutes, to proof the yeast.
Make Your Dough
In a mixing bowl, add baking mix and proofed yeast. Blend with your hands until a shaggy dough forms. Add in 2 tablespoons of softened butter and mix in until fully incorporated. Turn out your dough onto a work surface and knead for a couple minutes. Cover and let dough rest for 15 minutes at room temperature.
Shape Your Dough
Using a rolling pin, press down straight through the center of the dough vertically, and repeat horizontally creating a plus sign (+). This will help the dough roll out into a square. Roll from the center out into each quadrant, pulling at the sides to square the dough off. Your finished dough should be a 10” x 10” square.
Lock in Your Butter
Rotate your dough 45º and place your unwrapped butter block gently in the center. Fold the top and bottom dough points to meet each other in the center of your butter block. Repeat with the side points. Roll out lightly from top to bottom to seal the seams. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
First Fold
Remove dough from the refrigerator. Using your rolling pin, press gently to indent your dough every 2-3" (this will make the butter roll out more evenly). Roll your dough into a long rectangle (you are only looking to lengthen, not widen your dough). When it is about 20 inches long fold the top third down, and then the bottom third up. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and rechill for 30 minutes.
Second Fold
Remove your dough from the refrigerator. Situate the dough so that the short folded ends are at the top and bottom. Using your rolling pin, press gently to indent your dough every 2-3" (this will make the butter roll out more evenly). Roll your dough into a long rectangle (you are only looking to lengthen, not widen your dough). When it is about 20 inches long fold the top third down, and then the bottom third up. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and rechill for 30 minutes.
Roll Out Your Dough
Remove your dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured worksurface roll out your dough to a large rectangle just over 6” x 18” inches, leaving a little extra room for trimming.
Cut & Form Your Pain au Chocolat
Using a pizza cutter, or sharp knife, lightly trim all edges so that the layers are exposed (discard scraps). Cut dough into 6 even rectangles, about 3” x 5”.
Working one rectangle at a time, place a chocolate baton, ¼ inch from the bottom of the short side of the dough. Roll the pastry over the chocolate one, then add a second chocolate baton, and continue rolling into a spiral.
Transfer to a parchment lined baking tray, seam side down, and repeat for all pastries. Cover loosely with plastic wrap (leaving ample space for the pastries to expand).
Proof & Bake
Place a pan with ~2 cups of hot water at the bottom of your unheated oven. Move baking tray to the oven and let pastries proof for 1 hour.
Remove baking tray and water from oven. Pre-heat to 425ºF. Let pastries sit at room temperature and prepare your egg wash by whisking the yolk and cream together. Carefully remove plastic wrap and brush pastries with egg wash.
Bake for 5 minutes, then reduce temperature to 375ºF, and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes until the pastries are a deep golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool. Enjoy.
