What is Pain au chocolat?

Pain au Chocolat | Traditional Sweet Pastry From France, Western Europe | TasteAtlas

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Sweet Pastry Street Food Sweets Viennoiserie

Pain au chocolat

(Chocolatine, Couque au chocolat, Napolitana de chocolate)

Pain au chocolat is a French viennoiserie roll made with a combination of rectangular, yeast-leavened dough and a few chocolate sticks or chocolate ganache. The filled dough is rolled, baked, then served, ideally while still hot or warm. This flaky pastry can be bought at numerous French bakeries and supermarkets.

Interestingly, another name for pain au chocolat is chocolatine, and it is mostly used in the southwest of the country. In Bordeaux, there is even a case where customers had to pay more if they ordered a pain au chocolat rather than a chocolatine.

It is believed that the southwest stuck with chocolatine because it is similar to the Occitan word chicolatina. Regardless of these "name wars", in France, one should never refer to pain au chocolat as a chocolate croissant.

France

Spain

WHERE TO EAT The best Pain au chocolat in the world (according to food experts)

Kaitlin Orr and 17 other food critics.

"We absolutely loved their pain au chocolat – so many layers of pastry, perfectly baked, and filled with a delicious semisweet chocolate."

Karen Goldman and 13 other food critics.

"The best Pain au Chocolat in Paris: Blé Sucre - In fact, the Pain au Chocolat of Blé Sucre is bigger, but that is not enough, the quality is excellent and the small patisserie is in front of a charming square which possibly potentiates the taste."

Stephanie Horvath and 3 other food critics.

"Our favorite pastry shop. By far. And it seems like other folks agree. There’s always a line (but it moves fast!). The pain au chocolat is delicious."

Jenni Ylinen and 3 other food critics.

"For decadent pain au chocolat stop by Bechu."

Time Out Paris and 2 other food critics.

"The Grenier à Pain is a must for locals, as well as for tourists curious to try pain au chocolat and other French breakfast classics."

Gabrielle Mondesir and 2 other food critics.

"The pain au chocolat were beautifully done, with a deep reddish brown color, a nice high rise, and domed shape. Biting into them, the laminating—the alternating sheets of dough and butter that give croissants and pain au chocolat their characteristic layers—was beautiful, and they had a nice resistance, or chew."

Andrea Longcrier and 1 other food critic.

"Where to Find the Best Pain Au Chocolat in Paris: Maison Kayser - On two occasions I stopped and picked up a pain au chocolat to take home for breakfast the morning. Needless to say, once I got a whiff of the buttery pastry, it didn’t even make it half way home until I devoured it. I have no shame. Once you try one you’ll understand."