When Hard Work Pays Off [Chocolate Croissants]

I suppose this announcement is fitting. As summer ends, fall--and another season of my life--begins. Wait, what? Surprise! I'm moving to Richmond! 

I've been dreaming of new job in a new city for a while now, and its finally happening. Ok, maybe I wasn't dreaming of a new city...I was dreaming specifically of Richmond, VA: A perfectly-sized city, full of delicious food, exciting things to do, and (let's not forget) Boyfriend. That last highlight is definitely a perk!

In the back of my mind, I've always known that my job in Williamsburg was just a stepping stone. So when I started getting antsy earlier this summer, I knew it was time to make a move. I'd become unhappy and unmotivated in an industry that I knew wasn't right for me, and my dissatisfaction had started to translate into my personal life...isn't it funny what we realize in hindsight?

After some self-reflection, I updated my resume and applied for a few jobs. Then, miraculously (with the help of my truly amazing sister), I received an offer ...in Richmond...in an industry I've always had some interest in.

In a matter of 1 week and 3 days, I interviewed, received the job offer, put in my two weeks notice, and found an apartment to move into. When things are right, they're right; and all aspects of life just seem to fall into place. It's a great confirmation that I'm headed down the correct path :) 

In the middle of all these "what ifs" up in the air, I had a weekend alone in Williamsburg--very rare indeed. What happens when Valerie is lonely and bored? She bakes something ridiculous. And in this instance, it was chocolate croissants. Buttery, flaky, chocolatey croissants.

Truly a weekend project, these took about 7 hours in total to make. It's always nerve-wracking to make something so time consuming; will the investment be worth it? Both Boyfriend and I can assure you that it certainly is. They were only slightly more dense than the croissants you buy at bakeries and seemed to be extra buttery--not a complaint ;) They were perfect out of the oven, but were just as good when placed in the microwave for 10 seconds the next day.

I used the step-by-step tutorial found on Tracey's blog, Tracy's Culinary Adventures, which made the whole process a lot easier. I'm not sure about you, but I typically have a difficult time translating someone's words into actions, i.e. the "challah braid". I'll lay out some of the method here, but please be sure to check out Tracy's blog for a more complete (and more beautiful) step-by-step process!

Here's how the flaky layers happen...

Make the dough and butter square according to the recipe. Roll the dough out to a 11-inch square on a well-floured surface and place the butter square on top, as seen below. 

Fold the dough over the butter and seal the edges together by pinching.

Next roll the dough/butter out into a 14-inch square. How bakers are able to keep dough square-shaped the entire time in beyond me...

Now its time for the "business letter" fold. Starting with one side, fold it into the center, followed by the other side, as you would a business letter. Better seen below!

Taking the dough long-ways, fold "business letter" style again. Wrap dough in plastic wrap, refrigerate for 2 hours then repeat to roll-and-fold technique. 

The end result is super-flaky pastries. I didn't take pictures of the cutting and rolling of the croissants because I didn't completely follow the directions. I made half of mine mini and half regular sized.

Also, I filled a few with chocolate AND peanut butter. 

In doing that, I discovered that by taking a little bit of peanut butter and mixing in with the chopped chocolate, the chocolate is easier to work with when rolling the dough up (the first few croissants had chocolate falling out both ends.) I bet even a little bit of actual butter would help with this process as well.

IN CONCLUSION: These croissants made me really happy; I'm already trying to figure out when I can make them again (maybe I'll take a stab at making plain croissants!). But really, my true joy is stemming from the fact that I'm moving to Richmond...on Friday!!!! If I don't post until next week, now you'll know why :-P

Chocolate Croissants

Slightly Adapted from Tracy's Culinary Adventures 

Servings: ~12 regular-sized croissants

Dough

2 cups white whole wheat flour
1 cup bread flour
1 tablespoon instant yeast
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 cups whole or 2% milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Butter Square

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1/2 cup (1 stick) salted unsalted butter
2 tablespoons flour

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I used a combination or bittersweet & milk)
1 large egg

• In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine flours, sugar, salt, and yeast. Add milk and turn mixer on low until combined and a dough has formed (~4 minutes). Continue to knead with paddle attachment and add in the 2 tablespoons butter and mix until well incorporated (~5-6 minutes). *Tracey notes that the dough should be slightly sticky and won't clear the sides of the bowl completely. Add flour a tablespoon at a time if too sticky.

• Lay dough out of a piece of plastic wrap; wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. To make the butter square, cut the butter into cubes and place on a work surface (I used my cutting board); sprinkle flour on top. Use a bench scraper (or your hands) to smear and massage the butter and flour together into a cohesive mixture. Wrap in plastic wrap and shape into a 7-inch square. Place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

• Remove dough from fridge after 1 hour and, on a floured work surface, roll out into a 11-inch square (see images above). Place butter square on dough diagonally and centered. Fold dough corners over butter square and pinch to seal edges. Re-flour your work surface. Gently and slowly (working from the center, out), roll dough/butter into a 14-inch square. Using the "business envelop" fold mentioned/pictured above, fold dough twice. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.

• Repeat above step and refrigerate for another 2 hours. Prepare 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. 

• Place dough on a floured surface and roll out into a 20-inch square. Cut dough into 4 10-inch quadrants; then cut each quadrant into 3 rectangles (= 12 rectangles total). Add 1 tablespoon of chopped chocolate to the center of each rectangle; then fold one end over the chocolate, followed by the other, using the "business letter" fold. Very carefully flip the dough over so that the top flap is now underneath; place on baking sheet. Repeat for remaining 11 rectangles.

• Loosely cover croissants with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for ~1 hour or until puffy. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and prepare egg wash.

• Brush croissants with egg wash and bake for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. Let croissants cool on a baking rack for 20 minutes before serving (or risk a blistered mouth). Serve or store in an air-tight container.