The Chocolate Bread Pastry (Le Pain au Chocolat)
PAIN AU CHOCOLAT 🍫
France’s most delicious debate
Two bars of chocolate wrapped in golden, crispy, flaky pastry… When it comes to taste, pretty much everyone agrees on the pain au chocolat. Its name, however, is another story.
Its origins are closely linked to those of the croissant and the arrival of Austrian-style pastries in Paris during the 19th century. French bakers gradually adopted these techniques and developed their own creations using laminated yeast dough, including our famous chocolate-filled rectangle.
Throughout the 20th century, the pain au chocolat became a staple of French bakeries, establishing itself alongside the croissant as a classic choice for breakfast and the traditional afternoon snack, le goûter.
But you can’t talk about it without mentioning the eternal question: pain au chocolat or chocolatine? While “pain au chocolat” is used throughout most of France, “chocolatine” proudly holds its ground in the South-West — a regional debate taken very seriously… or almost.
Today, it remains one of the most iconic treats found in French bakeries: crispy on the outside, soft and chocolatey on the inside, and even better fresh from the oven.
Pain au chocolat or chocolatine, the debate goes on… but when it comes to enjoying one, everyone agrees.
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A NOTE FROM THE CREATOR 💌 My favourite French pastry! I think you can find a good pain au chocolat in pretty much any bakery. My favourites are the ones that aren’t too golden, slightly squished, with a texture that isn’t overly flaky — but of course, that’s all a matter of personal taste!
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