Chocolate bread

Name: Chocolate bread - Roxelana B.
Ingredients: a few chocolate bars 1 beaten egg for greasing For the dough: 1 kg flour 1 tablespoon salt 150 sugar 450 soft butter 2 tablespoons of yeast 1 small glass of lukewarm water 1

Dessert - Chocolate bread by Roxelana B. - Recipia

Chocolate breads, known in Belgium and France as pains au chocolat, can be found in almost all bakeries and are usually served at breakfast alongside coffee, mint tea, or milk. The recipe below uses butter dough, refrigerated multiple times to achieve finer layers. Typically, two bars of chocolate are placed in each piece, but one can also be used. Quick Info Total time: approximately 4 hours and 20 minutes, not counting the actual kneading and rolling time Preparation time: approximately 1 hour, including refrigeration breaks in the process Rising time: 2 hours Baking time: 30 minutes Servings: the number depends on how many rectangles you cut and their size Difficulty: medium Recipe type: breakfast pastry Ingredients For the dough 1 kg of flour 1 tablespoon of salt 150 g of sugar 450 g of soft butter, at room temperature 2 tablespoons of yeast 1 small glass of warm water 1/2 glass of warm milk For filling and finishing Some bars of chocolate 1 beaten egg, for brushing From the total amount of butter, 150 g is used at the beginning in the dough. The rest is added later during the folds. It is important that the butter is soft but not melted, so it can be spread in the dough without running. Preparation Method 1. Preparing the dough In a large bowl, mix the flour with the salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and add 150 g of soft butter, along with the yeast dissolved in the warm water. Gradually pour in the warm milk and start kneading. Continue until you obtain a non-sticky dough. The amount of milk is added gradually, as the dough needs to remain cohesive and easy to work with, not soft and sticky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes. 2. First rolling and folding After 30 minutes, remove the dough from the refrigerator and transfer it to a floured work surface. Roll it out into a round shape. Place the remaining soft butter in the center of the dough. Fold the dough over the butter to form a rectangle. Roll it out again, then fold the dough once more. There is no need to press too hard. If the butter starts to ooze out through the dough, stop rolling and refrigerate the dough. 3. Refrigeration and repeated folds Put the dough back in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes. After this break, repeat the same operation: roll out the dough, fold it, and refrigerate it again for 20 minutes. This procedure is repeated two more times. Thus, the dough is rolled and folded multiple times, and between stages, it is kept cold for 20 minutes. The breaks are necessary for the butter to remain firm and to form the layers in the dough. 4. Forming the chocolate breads At the end of the folds, roll the dough out on a floured work surface. Cut rectangles of approximately 14 × 10 cm. Place a bar of chocolate on each rectangle. If you prefer, you can use two bars: one at one end and the second at the other end of the rectangle. Fold the dough in thirds or in half, as you wish, so that the chocolate remains inside. Place the pieces on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, with the seam of the dough underneath. 5. Rising Brush each piece with beaten egg. Leave the tray in a suitable place for rising for 2 hours. At this stage, the dough should be left to rise before baking. There is no need to manipulate it again after placing it on the tray. 6. Baking Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Bake the chocolate breads for about 30 minutes, until golden brown. They can be served warm or cold, with milk, coffee, tea, or mint tea. Why I make the recipe often I love this recipe because it uses simple ingredients and can be prepared with one or two bars of chocolate, depending on how rich I want each piece to be. It fits well for breakfast and can be served both warm and cold. The dough is worked in stages, but the steps are easy to follow if the refrigeration breaks are respected. Tips and variations Tips The butter should be soft for spreading, but not melted. If it is too liquid, it will mix into the dough instead of remaining between layers. It is helpful to keep the dough in the refrigerator after each fold. If it becomes hard to roll out or starts to stick, cooling it makes it easier to work with again. When flouring the surface, use only as much flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking. Too much flour can remain between layers. The size of approximately 14 × 10 cm is the one indicated in the recipe, but the pieces can be cut larger or smaller. The final number of breads depends on this and on how thin you roll out the dough. Substitutions Chocolate can be placed in a single bar for each piece or in two bars, one at each end. The original recipe mentions that usually, two are used, but one can also be used. Milk is used warm, and the yeast is dissolved in warm water. The liquids should not be added cold, as this can slow down the rising. Variations You can fold the rectangles in half or in thirds, depending on the shape you want to achieve. The amount of chocolate can be adjusted without changing the dough. For smaller pieces, cut narrower rectangles. For more substantial breakfast products, maintain the size of approximately 14 × 10 cm and use two bars of chocolate. Serving ideas Chocolate breads are served at breakfast with milk, coffee, tea, or mint tea. They are also suitable for a simple snack, and their serving can be done both immediately after baking and after they have cooled. Frequently asked questions How many bars of chocolate are placed in each bread? You can place a single bar, as indicated in the version used here. Typically, two bars are placed, one at each end of the dough rectangle. Why does the dough need to be kept in the refrigerator multiple times? The cold breaks help the butter remain firm in the dough. Repeated rolling and folding, alternating with refrigeration, contribute to obtaining better-defined layers. Can I use melted butter? The recipe calls for soft butter, not melted. Soft butter can be spread and folded into the dough, while melted butter will mix too quickly with it. How long should they be left to rise? After they are formed, the pieces are brushed with egg and left to rise for 2 hours before being placed in the oven. How are they served? They can be served warm or cold, alongside milk, coffee, tea, or mint tea. Nutritional values The values are estimates, as the source does not specify the amount of chocolate used or the final number of pieces. For 100 g of finished product, approximately: 430–480 kcal 55–65 g carbohydrates 6–8 g protein 20–26 g fats The values increase if two bars of chocolate are used for each piece. For an exact estimate per serving, the final number of breads and the total amount of chocolate used would be necessary. Storage and reheating Chocolate breads are best on the day they are baked, but they can also be stored after cooling. Keep them covered, so they do not dry out. For reheating, heat them briefly in the oven. They can also be served cold, as the recipe is suitable for both options.

Chocolate bread

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