In a bowl, combine the warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until foamy. Add the egg, flour, and salt, and knead for about 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Then add the softened butter and knead again until the dough becomes shiny and slightly stretchy.

Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a clean towel and let it rest for 1–2 hours, or until doubled in size.

Roll the dough out into a rectangle about 3–4 mm thick. Cut into small triangles and roll each one up from the wide end to the tip to form croissants. Place each piece on a small square of baking paper, this makes frying much easier later. Cover loosely and let rise for another 30 minutes until light and puffy.

Heat oil to 160°C (320°F). Fry the mini croissants with the baking paper, it will release on its own after a few seconds, and you can remove it with tongs. Fry each batch until golden brown and crisp on both sides. Drain on paper towels, then roll the warm croissants in sugar while they’re still hot.

In a saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens , if it becomes too thick, add a splash of milk. Remove from the heat and stir in butter, salt, and dark chocolate drops until melted and glossy. Let it cool completely before using it as filling.

Once the croissants have cooled slightly, use a piping bag or a filling injector to pipe in the chocolate cream. Be generous, the creamy center is what makes these truly irresistible.