Description
A rich, indulgent dessert made with day-old chocolate croissants and a silky custard. This recipe offers café-quality results with minimal active prep time, making it perfect for using up stale pastries.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 to 8 large chocolate croissants (day-old/stale, approx. 600g)
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 large eggs (room temperature)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Tear or chop the stale chocolate croissants into 1-inch pieces and arrange them evenly in the baking dish.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs until lightly beaten. Add heavy cream, whole milk, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk vigorously until smooth and sugar is dissolved.
- Pour the custard evenly over the croissant pieces.
- Let the dish sit at room temperature for 10 minutes to allow the croissants to fully absorb the custard. Press down gently if needed.
- Scatter dark chocolate chips over the top.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes until the top is golden brown and puffed, and the center jiggles slightly like a flan.
- If the top browns too quickly, tent with aluminum foil for the last 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes to allow the custard to set.
- Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream if desired.
Notes
Use day-old or stale croissants; fresh ones will turn to mush. Let the custard soak for the full 10 minutes for best texture. Can be assembled the night before and baked in the morning. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45-50 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 28
- Fat: 24
- Saturated Fat: 14
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 10
Keywords: chocolate croissant bread pudding, easy dessert, stale croissant recipe, make-ahead dessert, comfort food, zero-waste cooking