Monday, 11 February 2013

Pain au chocolat

Ingredients:

  • 450g/1lb strong plain flour
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon dried yeast
  • 25g/1oz lard
  • 1 egg, beaten lightly
  • 225ml/8fl oz hand-hot water
  • 175g/6oz butter, softened
  • beaten egg, to seal and glaze
  • 100g/4oz dark chocolate (at least
  • 70% cocoa solids), broken into
  • 12 squares


• Lightly grease a baking tray.

• Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl, and stir in the yeast. Rub in the fat lard using your fingertips. Add the egg and enough of the water to form a soft dough. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until elastic.

• Roll the dough out to form a rectangle measuring 38 x 20cm/15 x 8in. Divide the butter into three portions, and dot one portion over two-thirds of the rectangle, leaving a small border around the edge.

• Fold the rectangle into three by first folding the plain third of the dough over, then the other third. Seal the edges of the dough by pressing with a rolling pin. Give the dough a quarter turn. Re-roll and fold again, without butter, then wrap the dough and chill for 30 minutes.

• Repeat the buttering and folding outlined above twice more, chilling the dough each time. Re-roll and fold twice more without butter. Chill for a final 30 minutes.

• Roll the dough to a rectangle measuring 45 x 30cm/18 x 12in, trim and halve lengthways. Cut each half into 6 rectangles, and brush with beaten egg. Put a chocolate square at the end of each rectangle, and
roll up to form a sausage.

• Press the ends together and place, seam side up, on the baking tray. Cover and leave to rise for 40 minutes in a warm place.

• Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas mark 7.

• Brush the pastries with egg, and bake for 20–25 minutes until golden. Cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or cold.

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