Pain au Chocolat Vegan

Pain au Chocolat Vegan is a delightful French pastry that combines flaky layers with rich dark chocolate, offering a perfect start to your day. This vegan version maintains all the buttery, indulgent qualities of the traditional treat while being completely plant-based.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour - 250 grams
• Vegan butter - 100 grams, cold and cubed
• Almond milk - 100 ml, chilled
• Active dry yeast - 7 grams
• Sugar - 25 grams
• Salt - 5 grams
• Dark chocolate - 50 grams, chopped
• Powdered sugar - for dusting (optional)

Steps

1. In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the chilled almond milk and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes until frothy.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the cold cubed vegan butter and rub it into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Pour the yeast mixture into the flour mixture and mix until a dough forms. Knead gently for about 5 minutes until smooth.
4. Shape the dough into a ball, cover it with a damp cloth, and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
5. After the dough has risen, roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 1 cm thick.
6. Fold the dough into thirds like a letter, then roll it out again into a rectangle. Repeat this folding and rolling process two more times to create layers.
7. Chill the rolled dough in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
8. Once chilled, roll the dough out again to about 1 cm thickness. Cut into rectangles (about 10x15 cm).
9. Place a few pieces of chopped dark chocolate at one end of each rectangle and fold the dough over to encase the chocolate. Seal the edges by pressing them together.
10. Place the shaped pastries on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and let them rise for another 30 minutes.
11. Preheat your oven to 200°C (390°F). Bake the pastries for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
12. Let them cool slightly before dusting with powdered sugar, if desired, and serve warm.

Nutrition

• Calories: 350
• Protein: 6 g
• Carbs: 45 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Sugar: 5 g
• Sodium: 250 mg
• Cholesterol: 0 mg
• Total Fat: 15 g
• Saturated Fat: 7 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
• Water: 0.1 L

Health Benefits

• Contains no cholesterol, making it heart-healthy.
• Rich in fiber from whole grains, promoting digestive health.

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