the Chocolate croissant

Pain au Chocolat or Chocolatine?

Perhaps unbeknownst to many Americans, the French “chocolate croissant” has a couple different names in France, and there has been a lifelong debate as to which name is correct.

But first, for those who are not familiar with this scrumptious pastry, the chocolate croissant has the familiar taste and texture of a regular croissant but contains a stick or two of decadent chocolate inside. Like its crescent-shaped cousin, the chocolate croissant is made with butter and flaky puff pastry but shaped into a sort of rounded square.

These chocolate croissants can be found in boulangeries all over France. However, depending on the region of France, this tasty sweet could be called pain au chocolat or chocolatine. 

For most of France, the “chocolate croissant” is called pain au chocolat. So where in France is this pastry called chocolatine? Turns out it is the good ‘ol southerners of Aquitaine, Midi-Pyrenees, Poitou-Charentes and Languedoc – Roussillon who hold tight to the chocolatine title.

But why the divide? Historians are not exactly sure, but they have a few theories. The most probable explanation for the why such split exists is that chocolatine is the “Frenchified” version of the German word Schokoladen. The croissant and the chocolate croissant belong to a genre of French cuisine called viennoiseries. Viennoiseries have their roots in Vienna, Austria, and it was Austrian August Zang who invented the chocolate croissant. Eventually the Austrian-inspired pastries morphed into an iconic part of modern French culture. It is not clear why the southern and southwestern regions of France have kept the name chocolatine, but it remains a great symbol of regional pride.

While it is unlikely that the debate will ever be “settled,” one thing remains true: whether you call it pain au chocolat, chocolatine, or even just chocolate croissant, this delightful viennoiserie is a wonderful addition to any breakfast routine!