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.
Rhonda Burns
How did you know? I LOVE chocolate croissants and have been wanting a recipe for so long.
Betsy
this makes me want to go to a bakery in Paris! they look so good!!!!! thank you!!
Anna
Ohhhhh yes. I do love these, but had forgotten how quick they are to make.I’ve remembered now and I know I have some puff pastry in the freezer…
When Pigs Fly
Durfour is the best if you can find it in the freezer section. Making one’s own puff pastry is a labor of love or should I say craziness. It takes forever and you must remember which way to turn it after rolling.
I still fake things all the time.
joythebaker
Yes! Dufour makes great great puff pastry. Much better than me turning and rolling and folding and turning and rolling the real stuff.
Michelle
I’ve got some puff pastry in the freezer right now just begging to be turned into these beauties.
Thanks!
Elizabeth
You know, I have some puff pastry in my freezer right now…
Nirvana
Wohoo! Thanks for sharing this quick recipe…. I looooove croissants but recently discovered how much butter goes into them and I’m slightly traumatized :) I may make these as a special treat one day :)
amy
i know what i’m making this weekend…thanks!
joythebaker
These are totally the perfect weekend treat!
Amy
If you can fake making croissants, than I don’t feel that bad about buying pre-made pie crust. (Well, I still feel a little bad…)
These look scrumptious and I want one for breakfast right now!
joythebaker
Have you found an all-butter pre-made pie crust in stores yet?
I may just have to post a pie crust from scratch that is so dang easy you’ll never want to buy store bought again. Impossible? Maybe. We’ll see!
Cathy A.
Joy, please do post that dang easy pie crust recipe!!!!!
Micah Rose
OMG! Please do that. I made a make-shift pie/cobbler/amazingness thing with store bought crust. I need something easy and buttery! Thanks, girl…your site is super fab!
Liz Brooks
This is an awesome idea! Thanks for sharing. And never feel bad for ‘faking’ it, you do so much from scratch, sometimes you just have to cut corners.
Jen @ MaplenCornbread
Fake away!! :) Even those of us who vow to never use prepackaged stuff DO! and its creations just like THIS that make it worth it! These chocolate croissants look soooooooooooo good!!!
Type A Mommy
Sounds pretty awesome to me! I’m really getting into baking, and had thought (momentarily) about making croissants from scratch. Then I read how much time is involved. This is much more practical!!! Thanks!
TheWoman
YAY for faking it! I’m with you on not wanting to slave away in the kitchen for breakfast (much as I love it at any other time of the day…).
And this snow-white skin NEEDS fake tan to not be blinding people. Bring it!
Akinaj
Oh yes, I love doing chocolate croissants this way. :D
callas
Faking being a grown-up… Now why does that sound familiar again? ^^