Chocolate Dirty Bread
A luxurious laminated pastry featuring flaky, buttery layers wrapped around a rich chocolate center, finished with a generous coating of cocoa powder for that distinctive "dirty" appearance.
Story
This impressive pastry blends French croissant technique with Asian-style chocolate bread. The secret lies in patience during the folding process—each resting period lets the gluten relax and allows the butter to create those beautiful, distinct layers.
Ingredients
bread flour
250g
cocoa powder
30g plus extra for dusting
sugar
40g
salt
5g
instant yeast
7g
whole milk
160ml
eggs
2 (1 for dough, 1 for wash)
cold butter (for laminating)
120g
dark chocolate chips or chunks
80g
Instructions
1
Make the dough
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, and yeast. Add the milk and one egg, mixing until a shaggy dough comes together. Knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic—you should be able to stretch it thin enough to see light through it (window pane test). Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
2
Prepare the butter block
While the dough rests, place the cold butter between two sheets of parchment paper. Pound it with a rolling pin until it forms a rectangle about 15x20cm. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.
3
First fold
Roll the dough out into a 20x30cm rectangle. Place the butter slab in the center and fold the dough over it completely to enclose. Roll out to 25x35cm, then perform a letter fold—bring both sides toward the center, then fold in half like a book. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
4
Second and third folds
Repeat the rolling and letter fold process two more times. After each fold, wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes. This repetitive folding creates the flaky, layered texture that makes these pastries special.
5
Shape and fill
Roll the final dough to about 35x45cm. Cut into 6 equal squares. Place a generous handful of chocolate chips in the center of each square, then bring all four corners together and pinch to seal. Place seam-side down on a lined baking sheet.
6
Proof and bake
Let the shaped buns rise for 45-60 minutes until nearly doubled in size. Brush with the remaining egg wash, then bake at 200°C (400°F) for 15-18 minutes until deep golden brown. Allow to cool slightly, then dust heavily with cocoa powder for that signature "dirty" look.
