chocolate croissants

Chocolate Croissants

I will confess to being quite pleased with myself whenever I made these. The way their sweet little shapes puff up all golden and promising in the oven inspires a little "ta-da!" when they are brought out. They require very little effort but provide a nice buttery chocolately pay out. 

The picture above was taken during a visit back home. To impress my family (which is what we all really try to do on home visits), I made the croissants for a late breakfast. They were well received. I do not believe they lasted longer than 7 minutes after this picture was taken. 

The recipe is from the cookbook "Nigella Express". The author, Nigella Lawson, is a favorite. She resides in London, so please read the recipe with your best British accent.

I include my own comments in parenthesis. I like to think they are helpful, but if they're not, please feel free to ignore.

Chocolate Croissants

Half a 17.2 oz. package ready rolled butter puff pastry (I use frozen puff pastry)

2 1/2 oz. chocolate- milk or dark depending on taste (I use chocolate chips)

1 egg, beaten

1) Preheat the oven to 425. Unfurl the sheet of pastry and then cut it into 4 squares. (I find it helps to buy the puff pastry that is frozen flat in sheets, not rolled or folded up. Nothing ruins a tranquil domestic goddess moment like cursing at puff pastry.)

2) Cut each square diagonally to give 2 triangles- they will appear quire small. Put the triangle with the wider part facing you and the point away from you.

3) Break off small pieces of chocolate- approx. 1/2 inch (this is where I substitute choc. chips) to place about 3/4 inch up from the wide end nearest you.

4) Then carefully roll from that chocolate-loaded end toward the  point of the triangle.

5) You should how have something resembling a straight croissant. Seal it lightly with your fingertips and curl it around into a crescent.

6) Place the chocolate croissants on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment, aluminum foil, or Silpat and paint with the beaten egg (if you do not have pastry brushes or if your pastry brushes have mistakenly been repurposed as bbq sauce brushes, a paper towel dipped in the egg will do just fine). Bake for 15 minutes until golden and puffy and exuberantly, if miniaturely, croissant-like. (Please feel free to say "ta-da!")