Chocolate Pastry: A Rich and Decadent Treat

This chocolate pastry is ridiculously easy to make but has an incredible wow factor everyone loves. Some links in this article are affiliate links that may earn me a commission if you purchase through them.

This chocolate pastry is delicious as a breakfast or brunch treat, a snack, or a fabulous dessert. Making croissants from scratch can be intimidating, but this recipe works because you use already existing croissant dough.

What pastry dough should I use?

You want a pastry that bakes up light and fluffy, which is why I love to use croissant dough. Making it form scratch is a lot of time and effort and elbow-grease.

Instead, I use the frozen croissants from my Wildgrain subscription box to make this chocolate pastry. They are perfect every time, and they taste just like the kind you get from a French boulangerie.

The Wildgrain subscription box, if you don’t know, is a monthly box filled with sourdough breads, artisan pastries, and fresh pasta. It arrives frozen, and you bake it from frozen – with the exception of this chocolate pastry, of course.

The box changes up each month, but right now, you get free croissants with every new order for the life of your subscription. Pro tip: Once you’ve subscribed, order extra croissants because you’re going to want to make this again and again.

Best of all, if you use the code HONEST10, you get $10 off your first month’s box. That plus free croissants every month with your subscription box, and you can’t go wrong.

The products are so easy to use, and honestly, the croissants taste fabulous baked from frozen as the instructions share. But when you turn them into chocolate pastry? It’s worth the little extra time and effort.

Croissants are so versatile. While you may be used to eating them just as a standard pastry, this is a simple way to dress them up or you can using them in another recipe like a french toast casserole with croissants.

The box comes with so many other items each month, too. I use the bread to make everything from grilled cheese to stuffed French toast to cheesy garlic pull apart bread and so much more.

What kind of chocolate should I use?

Because the chocolate is the star here, be sure you use quality chocolate. Your traditional chocolate chips from the grocery store that you use to make chocolate chip cookies just won’t cut it here.

Because the croissant is already so rich, you want to look for dark chocolate to complement the flaky pastry dough.

If you have a good quality chocolate bar, simply chop it up, as you want the pieces to melt evenly. I find it’s easiest to use chocolate callets because they are already the right size, and they are designed for baking and melting.

What can I use instead of chocolate?

I have had fun making different kinds of stuffed croissants, and you can’t really go wrong. If you don’t have chocolate in your house, you have other options that work just as well.

I love to add dried fruit mixed with the chocolate for even more flavor. Dried cherries, dried blueberries, dried currants, and dried pineapple chunks are my family’s favorite. Don’t use fresh or frozen fruit, as the moisture will make for a soggy croissant.

Instead of chocolate, you can use Nutella, which adds a great hazelnut taste. Use a sparing amount, as Nutella is already so rich.

Fruit preserves are another great swap. Choose your favorite flavor and add it to the croissant. Be sure to seal the edges so none leaks out as it bakes.

You can also go savory with this. Try mozzarella, basil, and sun-dried tomatoes or sliced ham and Swiss cheese. Leftover pulled pork with red onion and barbecue sauce is tasty, too.

Your imagination is the limit with complementary flavors. Be sure to not add too much moisture with your fillings, and balance the flavor with the richness of the croissant.

Just have fun with it. A chocolate pastry tastes amazing, but there are so many other options you can have with the croissant dough.

Why use an egg wash?

The egg wash creates a golden brown and shiny crust on the chocolate pastry as it bakes. And while you want it to look good, that isn’t the only reason.

The egg wash helps create a barrier between the pastry and the air, which means that your croissant doesn’t get soggy as quickly. We all want the crispy, flaky croissant as we bite into it, right?

Additionally, when the egg wash creates that barrier as the dough bakes, it seals the heat and moisture inside the pastry so it rises more fully.

You can see the different between a croissant I brushed with and egg wash and one where I didn’t.

How to Make a Chocolate Pastry

For the Wildgrain frozen croissants, let the dough thaw overnight in your fridge. You don’t want it on your counter where it will rise and may overproof.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

In a small bowl, mix together the egg white and water with a fork or whisk. Set this aside for later.

If your dough is already chilled, simply roll it out. If you use a preformed croissant, gently slice the croissant most of the way in half with a serrated bread knife on a silpat or parchment paper.

Chop your dark chocolate, and measure out what you need for each croissant.

Layer the chocolate and any other ingredients in the croissant. Be sure to leave a border around all the edges to ensure the chocolate doesn’t leak out and burn.

Gently roll the croissant into its traditional shape if you used a flat sheet of dough. If you sliced your preformed croissants in half, brush the edges with egg wash to help hold them together, then pinch them closed.

Note that croissants cut in half may split open as they bake if you don’t pinch them closed tightly enough. They still taste great, but know you need to pinch them closed more the next time.

Place the croissants onto a silpat or parchment paper-lined baking sheet with adequate distance between them to allow them to rise as they bake. Use a pastry brush to gently coat all surfaces of the dough with the egg wash.

Place them into the oven to bake for 12-15 minutes. They do not need to rest or rise again before you bake them.

Once they are golden brown, remove them from the oven and immediately place them on a wire rack. Do not let them overbake.

Be sure to let them cool fully. If you bite into them before the finish cooling, they quickly become soggy.

Optional chocolate drizzle

Do you want to make your chocolate pastry look even prettier? Add a chocolate drizzle to this stuffed croissant.

Use the same chocolate you used for the inside, and gently melt it.

While generally I melt chocolate on the stove, when I need this little, I’ll place it in a small microwave-safe bowl and heat it in 25 second intervals.

Stir it after each round in the microwave. As soon as it melts most of the way, keep stirring until it’s smooth.

Do not burn your chocolate!

Use a fork to drizzle the chocolate over your still warm croissants, then put them on your wire rack to cool completely.

Be sure to bookmark this recipe to make this chocolate pastry recipe again!

Don’t forget to start your Wildgrain subscription box to get these great frozen croissants (and more) and use the code HONEST10 to get $10 off your first box!

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