Ingredients

• 4 tbsp + 1½ cups total - Unsalted Butter (Softened)
• 4 cups + 2 tbsp total - All-Purpose Flour
• ¼ cup - Granulated Sugar
• 2 tspn - Salt
• 1 tbsp - Active Dry Yeast
• 1½ cups + 2 tbsp total - Cold Whole Milk
• 1 - Dark Chocolate bar (get the good stuff like Ghirardelli)
• to taste - Confectioner's Sugar for Dusting
• 1 - Large Egg

Procedures

Dough (Day 1)

1. Make the Dough
   • Cut the ¼ cup of butter into four 1 tbsp slices and place in a bowl
   • Add the 4 cups flour, the sugar, salt, and yeast
   • Combine ingredients until well mixed
   • Slowly pour in the 1½ cups milk and continue to stir
   • Mix until combined and ready to knead
2. Knead the Dough
   • Knead the dough by hand
   • If too sticky, add a bit of flour. If too dry add a bit of water
   • You'll know it's ready if when you poke it, it slowly comes back into place
   • Work it into a ball and place on parchment paper on a baking sheet. Gently flatten out a bit, then store in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.
3. Shape the Dough
   • Remove dough from the fridge
   • Roll out thin into a 14"x10" rectangle
   • Use a ruler. This rectangle must be very precise with nice corners.
4. Long Rest
   • Place the rolled dough back onto parchment paper on the baking sheet
   • Cover the rolled out dough with plastic wrap or aluminum foil
   • Place back in the fridge for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours. I recommend just waiting the four
5. Butter Layer
   • Mix the 1½ cups butter and 2 tbsp flour in a large bowl
   • Beat until smooth and combined
   • Smooth out the mixture into a 7"x10" rectangle on a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet
   • Let the butter layer chill and harden in the fridge for 30 min
6. Laminate the Dough
   • Pull out the dough and butter layer from the fridge
   • Place butter layer in the middle of the dough
   • Seal the dough edges over the butter layer
   • Roll out the dough into a 10"x20" rectangle. Use a ruler as this must be precise
   • Fold lengthwise into thirds like a letter
   • Turn the short side towards you and roll again into 10"x20". We are putting layers into the dough which alternate butter and dough.
   • Fold into a third of the size again
   • Place back in fridge, covered, for 30 min
   • Take out and roll into a 10"x20" rectangle then fold one more time
7. Second Long Rest
   • Wait 4-24 hrs. I recommend this being where you put your day-long break if needed, as the next step is fairly short.
   • At some point before this, chop your chocolate into thin strips

Croissants (Day 2-3)

1. Prep
   • Preheat the oven to 400 °F
   • Remove the dough from the fridge and roll out into an 8"x20" rectangle this time
2. Cut and Shape
   • Cut the dough into four vertically and four horizontally, so you have 16 2"x5" rectangles
   • Take one rectangle and roll out into roughly an 8" long rectangle
   • Place a bit of chocolate at one end of the rectangle and roll tightly
   • Place on parchment paper on a baking sheet with the flap of the roll facing down, so it doesn't unroll while baking
   • Repeat for all the 2"x5" rectangles
3. Rest
   • Let the croissants rest at room temp for 1 hour
   • Then place back in the fridge for 30 min to an hour
4. Bake
   • Make an egg wash by mixing the egg and 2 tbsp of whole milk
   • Lightly brush each croissant with the egg wash
   • Bake the croissants until golden brown, about 20 min. Rotate halfway through. If they brown too quickly, reduce to 375 °F at the halfway point
   • Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for a few minutes
   • Lightly dust with confectioner's sugar
5. Enjoy!