Chocolate Croissant Breakfast Bake (Printable)
Golden croissant pieces soaked in vanilla custard with melted chocolate chips bake into a decadent morning treat.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Pastry
01 - 4 large all-butter croissants, preferably day-old, cut into large pieces
→ Chocolate
02 - 4.25 oz 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 tsp pure vanilla extract
08 - Pinch of salt
→ Topping (optional)
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 -
- The contrast between crispy, golden croissant tops and soft, pudding-like underneath layers is absolute magic
- You can assemble it the night before and wake up to something that tastes like a French patisserie delivered straight to your oven
02 -
- Pressing the croissants into the custard is crucial because any dry spots will stay disappointingly chewy while the rest turns into pudding perfection
- The 10-minute rest period before baking is non-negotiable unless you want eggy bread instead of that creamy, custard texture that makes this dish special
03 -
- Sprinkle some turbinado sugar on top before baking for extra crunchy bits that everyone will fight over
- If your croissants are super fresh, toast them in the oven for 5 minutes before assembling so they can actually absorb the custard