Chocolate Croissant Breakfast Bake (Printable)
Buttery croissants baked with chocolate in a creamy vanilla custard for a decadent morning treat.
# What You Need:
→ Pastry Base
01 - 4 large all-butter croissants, preferably day-old, cut into large pieces
→ Chocolate Filling
02 - 4.25 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped or chocolate chips
→ Custard Mixture
03 - 4 large eggs
04 - 1.5 cups whole milk
05 - 0.5 cup heavy cream
06 - 0.5 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
08 - Pinch of salt
→ Optional Topping
09 - 1 tablespoon powdered sugar for dusting
10 - Fresh berries for serving
# How-To:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8×8 inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - Arrange the croissant pieces evenly in the prepared dish. Scatter chopped chocolate evenly over and between the croissant pieces.
03 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, and salt until well combined.
04 - Pour the custard mixture slowly and evenly over the croissants, lightly pressing down so all pieces soak up the mixture. Let sit for 10 minutes.
05 - Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the custard is set and the top is golden brown.
06 - Cool for 10 minutes before dusting with powdered sugar. Serve warm, with fresh berries if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The contrast between crispy edges and pudding soft centers feels like eating a chocolate croissant and bread pudding all at once
- You can assemble it the night before and wake up to something that tastes like a French patisserie
02 -
- If you use freshly baked croissants, toast them lightly first so they do not turn into a soggy disappointment
- Overbaking is better than underbaking here because that slightly crunchy top is the best part
03 -
- Tent with foil if the top browns too quickly before the center is set
- Use the highest quality chocolate you can afford since it is the star of the show