Chocolate Croissants in 30 Minutes Flat!
I faked it.
I faked it just a little bit with these croissants.
See, these croissants were hot from the oven and onto my breakfast plate in less than 30 minutes because I used frozen, all-butter puff pastry instead of slaving over homemade croissant dough. Real croissant dough has yeast, a bit of sugar and milk in it. Puff pastry does not have these elements; it’s just flour, salt, water, and more butter than you care to know.
So you see… I didn’t spend the time folding and folding and folding croissant dough, I faked it. I don’t feel one bit of bad. In fact, I feel so good about faking it, here’s a few other things I’ve been known to fake.
I’ve faked a tan with that new and clever gradual tan lotion. Thank you lotion technology.
I’ve faked a smile… when I’m feeling super extra awkward, or when I don’t like your perfume but you’re a friend of the family and I don’t want to be rude, or when I’m being paid to smile. That last one doesn’t really happen… ever.
I’ve been faking being an adult for the last ten years. Sometimes, well… it sure feels like I’m faking it.
Lastly, as discussed above… I fake a dang good chocolate croissant. Here’s what’s what on that!
I hold the strict belief that any breakfast pastry that comes out of my kitchen should take me less than an hour to make. I just don’t have the gusto to slave over a pastry first thing in the morning. That’s where these beauties come in. Grab yourself a package of all-butter puff pastry, some good quality dark chocolate, an egg, a pinch of salt and let’s do this!
Easy Chocolate Croissants
inspired by Nigella Lawson (p.s. You’re super pretty Nigella. Super.)
1 (14 oz) package frozen all-butter puff pastry, left to defrost in the fridge for 2 or 3 hours
1/4 cup dark chocolate pieces, 60% or 70% cocoa solids
1 egg, beaten
a sprinkle of fine sea salt
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Gently unpackage the slightly thawed puff pastry and place on a lightly floured surface. With a light floured rolling pin, gently roll out the puff pastry, extending the dough about 1 inch on all sides. The dough will thaw as you work it. That’s great. Just make sure it isn’t sticking to your work surface too much.
With the pastry sheet horizontal, make three vertical cuts, making four strips of pastry dough. Cut each strip in half horizontally. You’ll have eight medium sized rectangles. Cut each rectangle in half diagonally, creating 16 triangles.
Place each triangle so the wider part is toward you and the point is away from you.
Place small pieces of chocolate about 1/2-inch above the wide part of the triangle.
Carefully roll the chocolate loaded end toward the point, pinching the dough together at the beginning of the roll to ensure that the chocolate doesn’t ooze out during baking. Once rolled, curl the ends toward the center slightly.
Place the 16 small chocolate croissants on a lined but not greased baking sheet. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle each top with just a bit of sea salt if you like a little salt with your chocolate.
Place in 425 degree F oven and immediately turn the oven down to 400 degrees F. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden, puffed and otherwise irresistible.
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Who says faking doesn’t get perfect results and can’t be fun? :)
My kids will love this. Thank you!1
Yum. Homemade croissants are not worth the bother, at least not in the morning.
I can’t believe I never thought of this before! I’m making these tomorrow for sure!
Fake or not, my husband will love these. They are an easy version of a french pastry that he loves and rarely gets as I haven’t been brave enough to tackle layers of pastry sheet required to make them. THANKS!!!
Good Morning Joy! I made these delicious little treats on Saturday and had none left for dessert after my husband tackled the tray. I admit that I cheated even more than you did though…I used a can of crescent rolls (you know the one, with the little dough-man spokeperson). I would have used puff pastry (and plan to next time) but when I went to my freezer I had none!! Thanks for another good one!
Okay, those look wonderful :)
Has anyone ever tried making these with jam instead of chocolate?
Yes, but you have to be careful not to use too much, or it seeps out during cooking and goes everywhere.
If you’re trying to bulk up your filling, how about spreading a little jam on the dough and adding a few chunks of cream cheese?
Keepin’ it real even when faking it. Very nice. If there’s one thing I can relate to, it’s not wanting to do a huge amount work first thing after I wake up. I think you seem to have found a nice midway point with this recipe. Not totally pre-packaged and not totally from scratch. Delicious nonetheless.
Those look scrumptious!!!!! Who cares if you faked it? I cant wait to try them!!!
Mmm…just delicious! I would be happy to have one right now!
I’ve never really had any problem with “semi-homemade” food. I mean, if it tastes good, then why does it matter how it got there?
These seem so simple yet so elegant! cant want to make them!
Wow. This is the first time I’ve visited your site, and I already love you. This post makes me want to plan a brunch and make these suckers for all my friends. Or maybe I’ll just keep them to myself…At any rate, thanks!
Your croissants look perfect!! Love them!
Do you think these would be ok to freeze after you roll the chocolate into them? Then it would be even quicker the next time you want a fresh chocolate croissant…
I was thinking the same thing!
I might try it out tonight for a super special Friday breakfast :)
These are great with apple pie filling too! I make the apples for my son and the chocolate for my daughter. They LOVE them!
That sounds delicious, how do you do that?
Do you just dice the apple and fold the pastry, dust with cinnamon or what?? :)
Made these today – *meh* not too great – BUT its the cook not the recipe. SO wondering what I did wrong for such an easy recipe. I am thinking it was the dough? I don’t know it seemed to blah. Help??
I believe it’s totally okay to use frozen puff pastry, especially for cooking breakfast!! Your croissants look very lovely!!
Brilliant!
How long will these last? Are they good at room temp a few hours later?
Delicious! I must admit I’m guilty of buying refrigerated criossant dough and though it was fast and easy it also tastes a little weird. These look like they’d taste quite the opposite. I never thought of using puff pastry dough and I’m sure that’s much better. Yum!
Joy, you can’t do this! You can’t make desserts this simple it is detrimental to my hips and fuel to the dimples on bottom. It’s ok I forgive you. Now were is that coupon I have for $1 off pepperidge farm products.?
I have made these before! They are delicious. Sadly, I end up eating most of them myself.
Why not have it all. Brush with jam of your choice first, mine is raspberry, then add chocolate, and out of the oven sprinkle with coco powder, or even dip ends in chocolate. Yes!!!
Love it! Only one question; if I don’t want to slave over dough in the morning (and I don’t!) do I want to get up 2 to 3 hours before breakfast to take the dough out of the freezer? …huuuum…??
hey, could you dothis with cheese, to make like cheese croissants? im baking this weekend and i dont know if that would work or if the cheese would just, like, fry? haha. or maybe you need a special cheese?? or anyway, could i make them plain from this recipie too?? if you could help me in my baking dilema it would be amazing!! =D thanx anyway!
So glad I keep stumblingupon your site!
Next time you make this try it with Nutella, it is INCREDIBLE!!!!!!
ohmygosh – nutella!!!!! great idea!
Delish! I hope you don’t mind, but I just linked back to your recip on my blog. Can’t wait to try this and other recipes of yours. Loving your site!
http://stellaholiday.blogspot.com/2010/10/good-morning.html
Warmly,
Tiffany
I read your blog regularly but haven’t posted before. Just wanted to let you know I made these for a pot luck brunch party and substituted Nutella for the chocolate….oh man did these beauties come out well! They were devoured. And seriously took all of 10 minutes to prepare (by someone who has never used puff pastry before). I will definitely make these again when I can bring them somewhere–too little and delish to have all 16 of them at my munching disposal.
I use refrigerated cresent rolls and chocolate!
making these right now!! EXCITED!