Anyone else love a good hack when it comes to cooking? There are times when a store bought pre-made item works just as well as the real thing & when you consider the time saved, sometimes it may be even better. This is the blissful beauty of puff pastry. Can we all agree that purchase & unthaw is a whole lot easier than the alternative? I think we can, so grab some chocolate & let’s get to baking this Chocolate Puff Pastry!
Chocolate is my preferred sweet treat. And since this was intended as dessert number three next to a pumpkin pie & pecan pie bar I wanted chocolate as an option. For some people, chocolate isn’t the be all end all (what’s that like by the way?). Feel free to use this recipe as a guide. If you want to add fruit, nuts, or some sugary combination go for it.
Chocolate Puff Pastry
Ingredients
- 1 sheet thawed puff pastry store bought
- 1-1 1/2 cups chocolate chips or chunks plus 1/4 c more for optional drizzle garnish
- 1-2 tbsp powdered sugar optional
- 1-2 tbsp ground cinnamon optional
- 1 tsp melted coconut oil
Instructions
- Thaw the puff pastry prior to use.Preheat oven to 400°.
- Unfold the pastry dough & roll out dough a couple ways in each direction to smooth out. Looking at the dough lengthwise gently score it into three sections, being careful not to slice through the dough.
- Sprinkle the chocolate evenly along the center section of dough, ensuring that each future bite will get a good bit of chocolate. Optional: Sprinkle the chocolate center with half of the cinnamon & powdered sugar. Save the rest for garnishing the finished product.
- Slice the side sections into small strips horizontally, forming even "branches" on each side.Fold over about 1 inch of dough at the top & bottom, pressing down firmly to seal. Then take the sides & braid them over the center, pressing each section firmly. Left, right, left & so on all the way down.
- Place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper & bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.
- Remove from oven. Let cool for 1-2 minutes. To garnish, dust with the remaining cinnamon & sugar or melt 1/4 cup of chocolate with coconut oil & drizzle over the top.Serve immediately while the chocolate is still warm & melted.
