Pain au chocolat

Pain au chocolat (also known as chocolatine in the south-west part of France and in Canada) is a type of Viennoiserie sweet roll consisting of a cuboid-shaped piece of yeast-leavened laminated dough, similar in texture to a puff pastry, with one or two pieces of dark chocolate in the centre.

Origin

Pain au chocolat is a popular breakfast food in France and Belgium. The name translates literally to "chocolate bread." Despite the straightforward name, the origins of pain au chocolat are complex and widely debated. Some food historians believe that it originated in the late 1830s or early 1840s in France, while others believe it was created in Austria.

Preparation

The preparation of pain au chocolat involves a process similar to that of croissant. The dough is a layered, flaky variety, known as puff pastry. The process of making puff pastry is time-consuming because it involves making a dough, adding a slab of butter on top, folding the dough over the butter, and rolling it flat. This process is repeated multiple times to create multiple thin layers of dough and butter. Once the dough is ready, pieces of dark chocolate are added, and the dough is rolled into the shape of a cylinder.

Variations

There are several variations of pain au chocolat. In some regions, the pastry is made with almond paste or a chocolate almond combination. In others, the pastry is topped with powdered sugar, or the chocolate is replaced with white chocolate or fruit.

See also

• Croissant
• Viennoiserie
• Puff pastry
• French cuisine