Homeade Chocolate Croissants

From the kitchen of: Ellie Dunn

Ingredients

4 cups flour

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1 packet instant dry yeast

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 1/4 cups cold unsalted buter, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices

1 egg, beaten

2 bars sweetened chocolate bar

Directions

1. In a bowl, mix flour, water, milk, sugar, salt, yeast and butter. Once dough starts to clump, turn it out onto a clean counter. Lightly knead dough and form it into a ball.

2. cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour. Slice the cold butter in thirds and place it onto a sheet of parchment paper. Place another piece of parchment paper on top of butter and beat it with a rolling pin, smoothing out the butter. Transfer the butter tray into the refrigerator.

3. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface and roll through with a rolling pin and form four quadrants. Roll out each corner and form a 10-inch sqaure Place butter layer on top of cough and fold sides of dough over butter, enclosing it completely. Roll with a rolling pin, making sure to lengthen the dough, not make wider. Transfer dough and cover with plastic wrap. Refruferare for 1 hour.

4. Roll out dough on a floured surface until it's 8x24 inches. Fold top half down to the middle, and brush off any excess flour. Fold bottom half over the top and turn dough clockwise to left. This completes the first turn. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Roll out dough again two more times, completing three turns in total and refrigerating for 1 hour in between each turn. If at anytime the dough or butter begins to soften, stop and transfer back to fridge. After final turn, cover dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

5. To form croissants, cut dough in half. Place one half in the refrigerator. Flour surface and roll out dough into a long narrow strip, about 8x40 inches. Trim edges of dough and cut into 4 rectangles. Place chocolate on edge of the dough and roll tightly enclosing it in dough. Place croissants on a baking sheet, seam side down. Repeat with other half of dough. Brush croissants with beaten egg. Save rest of egg wash in fridge for later. Place croissants in a warm place to rise for 1-2 hours. Preheat oven to 400 and brush dough once more with egg wash and bake for 15 miutes or until cooked through and serve warm. Enjoy!