Chocolate Croissant Breakfast Bake (Printable version)
Buttery croissant pieces soaked in vanilla custard with semi-sweet chocolate, baked to a golden finish.
# What you need:
→ Breads & Pastry
01 - 4 large all-butter croissants, slightly stale, cut into large pieces
→ Chocolate
02 - 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped, or 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
→ Dairy
03 - 1 1/4 cups whole milk
04 - 3/4 cup plus 1 tbsp heavy cream
05 - 3 large eggs
06 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
→ Sweeteners & Flavors
07 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
08 - 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
09 - Pinch of salt
→ Toppings
10 - 1 tbsp powdered sugar, for dusting
# How To:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x9-inch baking dish with butter or non-stick spray.
02 - Arrange the croissant pieces evenly in the prepared dish. Sprinkle the chopped chocolate throughout, tucking some between layers to create rich pockets of melted chocolate.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, cream, eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, melted butter, and salt until smooth and well combined.
04 - Slowly pour the custard mixture evenly over the croissants and chocolate. Gently press down with a spatula to ensure all croissant pieces are submerged and soaking up the liquid.
05 - Let the dish stand at room temperature for 10 minutes to allow the croissants to fully absorb the custard.
06 - Bake in the center of the oven for 30–35 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown and the custard is set. A knife inserted in the center should come out clean.
07 - Cool for 5 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar before serving. Serve warm.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It transforms day-old croissants into something so indulgent your guests will assume you spent hours on it.
- The custard soaks into every buttery layer overnight if you prep ahead, making brunch morning almost effortless.
02 -
- If you pour the custard too quickly the top croissants float and you end up with uneven soaking, so pour slowly and press gently.
- The bake will puff dramatically in the oven and then sink as it cools, which is completely normal and not a sign you did anything wrong.
03 -
- Tear the croissants by hand instead of cutting them for ragged edges that create more crispy golden bits on top.
- Use the best chocolate you can find because it is the star of the dish and supermarket baking chips will not give you the same melt.