The first time I made these syrupy croissants, I worked on the dough with my daughter. She was excited to mix and knead the cocoa part, while I handled the white part. I found it interesting to split the ingredients into two and thus obtain two types of dough, one plain and one with cocoa. It's not a complicated recipe, but it requires attention to the division of quantities and the assembly steps.
Quick Info
Total time: about 2.5 hours (kneading, rising, baking, and assembling)
Kneading time: 2 x 20 minutes (both doughs)
Rising time: about 1 hour (until visibly doubled in size)
Baking time: 15-20 minutes (depending on the oven)
Servings: about 30-35 croissants, depending on size
Difficulty: medium (more due to managing two doughs)
Recipe type: sweet syrupy croissants, homemade dessert, suitable for a gathering
Ingredients
For the dough:
1 kg flour
1 pinch of salt
2 eggs
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 cube of yeast (approx. 25 g)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 packet baking powder
1 packet vanilla sugar
500 ml warm water
200 ml oil
For the syrup:
150 ml water
250 g sugar
Rum essence (to taste)
For decoration:
Coconut (to sprinkle on top at the end)
For filling:
The filling is optional (not precisely mentioned in the source). You can use jam, Turkish delight, chocolate, nuts, or anything you like.
Preparation method
1. Dividing the ingredients
Divide all the ingredients for the dough into two equal bowls (flour, eggs, yeast, sugar, baking powder, vanilla sugar, oil, and water), except for the cocoa, which is only added to one of the doughs.
2. Kneading the doughs
In one bowl, prepare the first dough (the white one). Mix the flour, salt, one egg, one packet of vanilla sugar, half of the yeast cube (dissolved in warm water with sugar), half of the baking powder, 100 ml oil, and 250 ml warm water. Knead for about 20 minutes until an elastic dough forms.
In the second bowl, prepare the cocoa dough: add 2 tablespoons of cocoa to the same ingredients (in the same proportions). Knead for another 20 minutes. It’s easier if you have help, as I did, because you can knead both doughs simultaneously.
3. Rising
Let both doughs rise in a warm place, covered with a towel. It takes about 1 hour or until they double in size.
4. Rolling out the doughs and assembling
Once risen, roll out the cocoa dough on the workspace, shaping it into a sheet the size of a tray. Do the same with the white dough and place it over the cocoa sheet. You need to overlap them fairly evenly without pressing too hard.
Using a knife, cut a wide strip lengthwise (about the desired length of the croissants). Then, from this strip, cut squares.
5. Shaping the croissants
Take each square, roll it out slightly with your hand or a rolling pin. Place the desired filling in the middle. Roll each square tightly so that the filling doesn't leak out.
Place the formed croissants on a tray. Let them rise for another 10-15 minutes at room temperature.
6. Baking
Preheat the oven. Place the tray with croissants in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, depending on the oven. The croissants should be baked but not overly browned.
7. Preparing the syrup
While the croissants are baking, prepare the syrup. Put 150 ml of water with 250 g of sugar on the heat. Let it boil until the sugar dissolves and add the rum essence to taste.
8. Syrup soaking and decoration
As soon as you take the croissants out of the oven, while they are still hot, dip them one by one into the hot syrup. Remove them quickly; do not let them soak too long. Sprinkle coconut on top while they are still wet, so it sticks well.
Why I make this recipe often
These syrupy croissants can be made with various fillings, do not dry out quickly, and are suitable for coffee, takeout, or guests. They are easy to portion and last well for a day or two. The method with two colored doughs gives a nice appearance without too much effort.
Tips and variations
Tips
- Rising is faster if you place the bowls near the stove or in the turned-off oven, but slightly warm.
- Don’t overdo the syrup; otherwise, the croissants become too soft.
- Use flour with a medium gluten content to achieve an elastic dough.
- When baking, check that they don’t burn on the bottom; each oven bakes differently.
Substitutions
- Rum essence can be replaced with vanilla if you don’t like the rum flavor.
- Coconut for decoration can be omitted or replaced with ground nuts.
- For filling, any thicker jam, Turkish delight, or chocolate cream works well.
Variations
- If you don’t want two colors, you can do everything with just white dough or just cocoa, but you won’t get the bicolor pattern.
- They can be made smaller or larger, adjusting the baking time.
- You can add a bit of grated lemon or orange zest to the dough for extra flavor.
Serving ideas
- They go well for breakfast with milk or coffee.
- For occasions, they can be arranged on a platter with fruits or other pastries.
- They are suitable for takeout if you want something sweeter and more substantial.
Frequently asked questions
Can croissants be made only with yeast, without baking powder?
They can be made, but they have a slightly different texture; baking powder helps with extra fluffiness.
If I don’t have two trays, how do I roll out the dough sheets?
Roll out the doughs one at a time on the workspace and overlap them directly there; a tray is not needed at this step.
Do I need to heat the syrup for each batch of croissants?
Ideally, it should be warm when you soak them, but if it has cooled a bit, you can quickly reheat it on the stove.
Can I use dry yeast instead of a cube?
Yes, use the equivalent of 25 g of cube yeast (approx. 7 g of dry yeast), dissolved in a little warm water with sugar.
Nutritional values
Estimate for a medium-sized croissant (approx. 50-60 g):
Calories: 120-150 kcal
Protein: 2-3 g
Fat: 3-4 g
Carbohydrates: 22-25 g
Approximate values, may vary depending on the filling and how much syrup they absorb. The sugar in the syrup significantly increases the carbohydrate intake.
Storage and reheating
Syrupy croissants keep well for a day or two at room temperature in a covered container. After this period, they start to soften too much or develop a slight fermented smell due to the syrup. I do not recommend storing them in the fridge, as they become hard. It is not necessary to reheat them, but if desired, you can put them in the microwave for 5-6 seconds without drying them out.
Quick Info
Total time: about 2.5 hours (kneading, rising, baking, and assembling)
Kneading time: 2 x 20 minutes (both doughs)
Rising time: about 1 hour (until visibly doubled in size)
Baking time: 15-20 minutes (depending on the oven)
Servings: about 30-35 croissants, depending on size
Difficulty: medium (more due to managing two doughs)
Recipe type: sweet syrupy croissants, homemade dessert, suitable for a gathering
Ingredients
For the dough:
1 kg flour
1 pinch of salt
2 eggs
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 cube of yeast (approx. 25 g)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 packet baking powder
1 packet vanilla sugar
500 ml warm water
200 ml oil
For the syrup:
150 ml water
250 g sugar
Rum essence (to taste)
For decoration:
Coconut (to sprinkle on top at the end)
For filling:
The filling is optional (not precisely mentioned in the source). You can use jam, Turkish delight, chocolate, nuts, or anything you like.
Preparation method
1. Dividing the ingredients
Divide all the ingredients for the dough into two equal bowls (flour, eggs, yeast, sugar, baking powder, vanilla sugar, oil, and water), except for the cocoa, which is only added to one of the doughs.
2. Kneading the doughs
In one bowl, prepare the first dough (the white one). Mix the flour, salt, one egg, one packet of vanilla sugar, half of the yeast cube (dissolved in warm water with sugar), half of the baking powder, 100 ml oil, and 250 ml warm water. Knead for about 20 minutes until an elastic dough forms.
In the second bowl, prepare the cocoa dough: add 2 tablespoons of cocoa to the same ingredients (in the same proportions). Knead for another 20 minutes. It’s easier if you have help, as I did, because you can knead both doughs simultaneously.
3. Rising
Let both doughs rise in a warm place, covered with a towel. It takes about 1 hour or until they double in size.
4. Rolling out the doughs and assembling
Once risen, roll out the cocoa dough on the workspace, shaping it into a sheet the size of a tray. Do the same with the white dough and place it over the cocoa sheet. You need to overlap them fairly evenly without pressing too hard.
Using a knife, cut a wide strip lengthwise (about the desired length of the croissants). Then, from this strip, cut squares.
5. Shaping the croissants
Take each square, roll it out slightly with your hand or a rolling pin. Place the desired filling in the middle. Roll each square tightly so that the filling doesn't leak out.
Place the formed croissants on a tray. Let them rise for another 10-15 minutes at room temperature.
6. Baking
Preheat the oven. Place the tray with croissants in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, depending on the oven. The croissants should be baked but not overly browned.
7. Preparing the syrup
While the croissants are baking, prepare the syrup. Put 150 ml of water with 250 g of sugar on the heat. Let it boil until the sugar dissolves and add the rum essence to taste.
8. Syrup soaking and decoration
As soon as you take the croissants out of the oven, while they are still hot, dip them one by one into the hot syrup. Remove them quickly; do not let them soak too long. Sprinkle coconut on top while they are still wet, so it sticks well.
Why I make this recipe often
These syrupy croissants can be made with various fillings, do not dry out quickly, and are suitable for coffee, takeout, or guests. They are easy to portion and last well for a day or two. The method with two colored doughs gives a nice appearance without too much effort.
Tips and variations
Tips
- Rising is faster if you place the bowls near the stove or in the turned-off oven, but slightly warm.
- Don’t overdo the syrup; otherwise, the croissants become too soft.
- Use flour with a medium gluten content to achieve an elastic dough.
- When baking, check that they don’t burn on the bottom; each oven bakes differently.
Substitutions
- Rum essence can be replaced with vanilla if you don’t like the rum flavor.
- Coconut for decoration can be omitted or replaced with ground nuts.
- For filling, any thicker jam, Turkish delight, or chocolate cream works well.
Variations
- If you don’t want two colors, you can do everything with just white dough or just cocoa, but you won’t get the bicolor pattern.
- They can be made smaller or larger, adjusting the baking time.
- You can add a bit of grated lemon or orange zest to the dough for extra flavor.
Serving ideas
- They go well for breakfast with milk or coffee.
- For occasions, they can be arranged on a platter with fruits or other pastries.
- They are suitable for takeout if you want something sweeter and more substantial.
Frequently asked questions
Can croissants be made only with yeast, without baking powder?
They can be made, but they have a slightly different texture; baking powder helps with extra fluffiness.
If I don’t have two trays, how do I roll out the dough sheets?
Roll out the doughs one at a time on the workspace and overlap them directly there; a tray is not needed at this step.
Do I need to heat the syrup for each batch of croissants?
Ideally, it should be warm when you soak them, but if it has cooled a bit, you can quickly reheat it on the stove.
Can I use dry yeast instead of a cube?
Yes, use the equivalent of 25 g of cube yeast (approx. 7 g of dry yeast), dissolved in a little warm water with sugar.
Nutritional values
Estimate for a medium-sized croissant (approx. 50-60 g):
Calories: 120-150 kcal
Protein: 2-3 g
Fat: 3-4 g
Carbohydrates: 22-25 g
Approximate values, may vary depending on the filling and how much syrup they absorb. The sugar in the syrup significantly increases the carbohydrate intake.
Storage and reheating
Syrupy croissants keep well for a day or two at room temperature in a covered container. After this period, they start to soften too much or develop a slight fermented smell due to the syrup. I do not recommend storing them in the fridge, as they become hard. It is not necessary to reheat them, but if desired, you can put them in the microwave for 5-6 seconds without drying them out.