Red Velvet Croissants with Chocolate Filling and Cream Cheese Drizzle

Who doesn’t love croissants and red velvet cake? These croissants combine the buttery, light textures of croissants with the flavors of red velvet cake. Add in the chocolate filling and the cream cheese drizzle, and you have a sinful, decadent red velvet croissant.

These croissants are dangerous. You will find it difficult to eat only one. They are tangy, moist, and buttery. These treats combine the textures of cake and croissant; they are slightly cakier than traditional croissants, but still contain all the beautiful layers that a croissant should have. We take the decadence even further by filling them with chocolate and topping it with cream cheese icing!

Croissants made from scratch are a bit time consuming, but one bite you will see that these are well worth the effort!

Red Velvet Croissants

2 3/4 tsp yeast

3/4 cup warm water

1/2 cup warm milk

1/2 (18oz) box red velvet cake mix, or a 9oz box red velvet cake mix

2 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp flour, plus more for rolling

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/4 cups butter

6 oz good quality bittersweet chocolate

4 ounces cream cheese

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

3 tbsp milk or cream

1 egg mixed with 1 tbsp milk or water (for the egg wash)

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In a mixer with a dough hook, combine the yeast and warm water. Let stand for about 7 minutes, or until bubbles form.

Add in the warm milk, red velvet cake mix, flour, and salt. Mix on low speed until combined, then increase the speed to medium and mix for about 5 minutes. The dough should be smooth and elastic. Transfer the dough to a greased bowl and rest in the fridge overnight, or 8 hours.

Before the dough is ready, cut the butter into 1/2 inch pieces and arrange into a square on parchment or wax paper. Set another sheet of parchment or wax paper on top and roll into a 12” x 12” square. Cool in the fridge until the dough is ready.

After the dough is done resting, on a well floured surface, roll into a 12” x 17” rectangle. Place the slab of butter on the right two-thirds of the rectangle. Brush off any excess flour from the dough. Fold the left third (the third without the butter) over so it covers half of the buttered surface. Once again, brush off any excess flour. Fold over the right third. The result should be a rectangle with alternating layers of dough and butter. Think of the folding process like folding a brochure.

Place on a large, well floured baking sheet and rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Remove from the fridge and transfer to the floured surface. Roll again into 12” x 17” rectangle. Brush off any excess flour. Fold the left third (with the open end) over so it covers the middle third of the dough. Brush off excess flour. Fold the right third (with the open end) over the dough, and transfer to the floured baking sheet. Rest in the fridge for another 30 minutes.

Repeat the above folding process another 2 times, resting 30 minutes in the fridge in between each folding cycle. Allow the dough to rest in the fridge overnight again.

After the dough has rested, transfer the dough on a well floured surface. Roll into a long rectangle, about 8” in height and 1/4 inch thick. Cut into triangles. For large croissants, the base should be 5 inches wide, and for smaller croissants it should be 3 inches wide. Cut a slit in the middle of the base of each triangle.

Place about 1 tbsp chocolate at the base of each croissant. Flare the ends of the base outwards. While slightly stretching the dough, roll from the base to form the croissant. Bend the ends into a crescent shape and place on baking sheet. Brush with egg wash.

Proof the dough in a warm area for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Be careful the area is not to warm as the butter may melt. The dough is ready when the layers of the dough become slightly visible.

Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Rotate the pan and bake for another 10 minutes. Allow to cool slightly while preparing the cream cheese icing.

In a bowl, combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and cream. Transfer the icing to a pastry bag or ziploc bag with a small cut on one of the corners. Drizzle the icing on the croissants. Enjoy warm!

Makes about 20 small or 15 large croissants.