Chocolate Croissant Breakfast Bake (Printable)
Buttery croissants baked with chocolate chunks in a vanilla custard for a decadent morning treat.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pastry Base
01 - 4 large all-butter croissants, preferably day-old, cut into large pieces
→ Chocolate Filling
02 - 4.2 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped or chocolate chips
→ Custard Base
03 - 4 large eggs
04 - 1 1/2 cups whole milk
05 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
06 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
08 - Pinch of salt
→ Optional Topping
09 - 1 tbsp powdered sugar, for dusting
10 - Fresh berries, for serving
# How-To Steps:
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 -
- It transforms ordinary croissants into something extraordinary with almost zero effort
- The contrast between crisp tops and custard soaked bottoms is absolutely magical
02 -
- Pressing the croissants into the custard during that 10 minute rest is the secret to avoiding dry spots
- The center should still wiggle slightly when you remove it from the oven as it continues cooking
03 -
- If your croissants are fresh, toast them lightly in the oven for 5 minutes before using so they do not turn to mush
- Use a glass baking dish if you want to see exactly how brown the bottom is getting