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.
Amy @DYKTMP?
making these right now!! EXCITED!
Natasha
I use refrigerated cresent rolls and chocolate!
CookieMonster?
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.
Tiffany
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!
https://stellaholiday.blogspot.com/2010/10/good-morning.html
Warmly,
Tiffany
Dorela
Next time you make this try it with Nutella, it is INCREDIBLE!!!!!!
Tiffany
ohmygosh – nutella!!!!! great idea!
Lisa
So glad I keep stumblingupon your site!
Michelle Badenhorst
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!
Mary
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…??
Catherine
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!!!
Natasha
I have made these before! They are delicious. Sadly, I end up eating most of them myself.