Chocolate Croissant Breakfast Bake (Printable)

Buttery croissants baked with rich chocolate in a vanilla custard for an indulgent morning treat.

# What goes in:

→ Pastry Base

01 - 4 large all-butter croissants, preferably day-old, cut into large pieces

→ Chocolate

02 - 4.25 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped or chocolate chips

→ Custard

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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8×8 inch baking dish with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
02 - Arrange 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 and smooth.
04 - Pour the custard mixture slowly and evenly over the croissants, lightly pressing down so all pieces absorb the liquid. Let sit for 10 minutes.
05 - Bake for 35 to 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 leftover croissants into something that feels like a French pastry shop visit
  • The custard soaks into every buttery layer, making each bite like a chocolate bread pudding disguised as breakfast
  • You can assemble it the night before and wake up to something impressive waiting to happen
02 -
  • Pressing the croissants into the custard is crucial because it ensures every bite has that pudding interior
  • The bake time varies by oven so check at 30 minutes and cover with foil if browning too fast
  • It will look puffed and gorgeous coming out of the oven but settles as it cools
03 -
  • Use really good quality all-butter croissants because the flavor shines through
  • Let the baked dish cool at least 10 minutes or the custard will be too runny

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