Also known as pain suisse au chocolat and brioche suisse, this classic French pastry isn’t as famous as some others, but we think it should be. Rich vanilla pastry cream and sweet chocolate chips are sandwiched between buttery, pillowy layers of brioche dough and baked until golden brown, perfect as a breakfast treat or afternoon snack. And there’s an excellent reason to try your hand at baking these at home: The pastries can be ready in just about 3 hours, making them an ideal baking project for a morning or afternoon.
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 3 hr 5 min |
| Active: | 1 hr |
| Yield: | 12 pastries |
Ingredients
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (see Cook’s Note), plus more as needed
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup warm milk (90 to 100 degrees F)
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces, at room temperature
- Neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable oil, for the bowl
- 1 cup milk
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 vanilla bean
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Pinch kosher salt
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- 1 large egg
- Splash milk
- Pinch kosher salt
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 vanilla bean
Instructions
- For the brioche: Combine the flour, sugar, salt and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Mix on low speed to combine. Add the eggs and milk and mix until a dough forms. Increase the speed to medium-high and knead until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl, about 5 minutes; the dough will still be pretty sticky.
- Reduce speed to medium and add the butter, a piece at a time, waiting for each piece to be incorporated before adding the next, 4 to 5 minutes. Once all of the butter is added, increase the speed to medium-high and knead until the dough is very smooth and glossy and slightly sticky to the touch, about 5 minutes.
- Grease a large mixing bowl with oil and add the dough. Turn the dough to coat it in the oil. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
- Meanwhile, make the pastry cream: Combine the milk and sugar in a small saucepan. Split the half vanilla bean and use a paring knife to scrape the seeds into the pan. Add the pod to the pan as well. Bring to a simmer over low heat and stir just to dissolve the sugar. Whisk the egg yolks, cornstarch and salt together in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk in the hot milk a little at a time, taking care not to scramble the yolks. Once all of the milk is added, pour the mixture back into the saucepan and set over low heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is smooth and thick, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve placed over a medium bowl (this will strain out the vanilla pod and any egg bits). Set the medium bowl over a larger bowl filled with ice to cool the custard; stir occasionally until completely cooled. Cover with plastic and refrigerate until the dough has risen.
- Punch the risen dough down and transfer it to a floured piece of parchment paper about double the length of a standard baking sheet (it should be about 18 by 26 inches); this is a sticky dough so the parchment will help rolling and folding it. Flour the top of the dough and place another piece of parchment of the same size over top. Roll the dough out to an 8-by 24-inch rectangle, flouring as needed so it doesn’t stick.
- Remove the top piece of parchment and turn the parchment with the dough on it so a long end of the rectangle is closest to you. Spread the pastry cream on the lower half of the dough in an even layer and sprinkle with the chocolate chips. Dust the pastry cream layer lightly with flour. Use the parchment to flip the top half of the dough over the pastry cream. Pinch the edges to seal.
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Use a floured pizza cutter to cut through the dough crosswise to make 12 short rectangles. Transfer the rectangles to the baking sheets. Flour your hands and pat the cut sides of the rectangles to define their shape and pinch to seal in the pastry cream; the extra flour will help keep the cream from leaking out during baking. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until slightly puffed, about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, position oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.
- For the egg wash: Whisk the egg, milk and salt together in a cup or small bowl. After the pastries have risen for 30 minutes, brush the egg wash on the tops and sides of the rectangles. Bake until puffed and deep golden, 20 to 22 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom about halfway through.
- While the pain Suisse bake, make the vanilla syrup: Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Split the half vanilla bean with a paring knife and use the tip of the knife to scrape the seeds into the pan. Add the pod to the pan. Set the pan over medium heat and simmer just to dissolve the sugar. Set aside.
- Brush the hot pain suisse all over with the syrup. Transfer the pastries to racks to cool. Serve warm or room temperature.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 12 servings |
| Calories | 682 |
| Total Fat | 52 g |
| Saturated Fat | 12 g |
| Carbohydrates | 46 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 18 g |
| Protein | 8 g |
| Cholesterol | 138 mg |
| Sodium | 379 mg |