Description

This Chocolate Croissant Breakfast Bake is a decadent and comforting dish perfect for breakfast or brunch. It combines day-old croissants with rich semi-sweet chocolate chips soaked in a creamy custard mixture of eggs, milk, and cream, then baked to golden perfection. The almond and vanilla extracts add a lovely depth of flavor, making it a delightful treat that’s easy to prepare and sure to impress.

Ingredients

Scale

Base

4 large croissants, preferably day-old, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Custard Mixture

4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

Optional Topping

Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

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Instructions

Preheat and Prepare Dish: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch or similarly sized deep baking dish to prevent sticking.
Arrange Croissants and Chocolate: Place the cut croissant pieces evenly in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the semi-sweet chocolate chips evenly over the croissants to distribute the chocolate throughout the bake.
Mix Custard: In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
Combine Custard with Croissants: Pour the custard mixture evenly over the croissants and chocolate in the baking dish. Use a spatula to gently press the croissant pieces down, ensuring that they soak up the custard mixture thoroughly.
Soak: Let the dish sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes so the croissants can absorb the custard mixture well, enhancing the texture and flavor.
Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the custard is set and the top is golden brown and slightly puffed.
Cool: Remove from the oven and allow the bake to cool for at least 10 minutes to firm up for easier serving.
Serve: Optionally dust the top with powdered sugar for a beautiful and sweet finishing touch before serving warm.

Notes

Using day-old croissants helps absorb the custard better without becoming too soggy.
You can substitute semi-sweet chocolate chips with dark or milk chocolate chips according to preference.
This recipe can be prepared the night before by assembling and refrigerating the mixture, then baking in the morning, increasing the soaking time for a richer texture.
If desired, add chopped nuts such as almonds or walnuts for extra texture and flavor.
Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator and gently reheat before serving.