Chocolate Hazelnut Croissants

I saw a recipe to make chocolate croissants from purchased puff pastry.  It sounded super easy.  So easy that I decided I could remember it.  Oh, foolish me. 

I found some other recipes and remembered quite a bit of the one I had read.  So I decided to experiment and make a few different versions.  If this worked it would make a superb addition to the breakfast treats I make for my guests.

Of course this meant that I had to try all three versions.  In the interest of my blossoming B&B business.  Necessary, really...I do have two different groups of guests coming this weekend.  It is a struggle to be such a committed innkeeper...

 

Chocolate Croissants

Pepperidge Farms Puff pastry  If I can find it in Daleville, you can find it where you live.  In the freezer section.

Nutella
raspberry jam, preferably seedless
Lindt Lindor Chocolate Hazelnut truffles, I found them in Walmart
1 egg
water
flour for dusting

 

Thaw the puff pastry in the refrigerator overnight.  There are two sheets of pastry in the package.  I removed one and put the other back in the freezer, after wrapping it in a Ziploc freezer bag.  Set the thawed puff pastry on the counter to warm up a bit while you get everything else out.

 

Heat the oven to 350°.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or use a Silpat.  I needed to use two sheets.

 

Make an egg wash.  I found many recipes for this.  Come on people, it is water and an egg!  I used 1 egg and 2 Tablespoons water.  Next time I will use 1 Tablespoon water, but still others said 1 teaspoon.  I doubt it makes a big difference.  Use 1 Tablespoon water and whisk it with an egg in a small bowl.

 

Dust the counter with some flour.  Divide the puff pastry along the fold lines  I wanted to make some mini croissants and two full size croissants.  You never know what you need to use for guests and I needed to try them all.

For the mini croissants, I divided the two of the strips in half, widthwise.  Then I divided the short strips into triangles.  I set the other strip aside for later.

 

It seemed to help to roll the triangles a bit wider with a rolling pin.  That gave more room to add the fillings.  In some I used about 1/2 teaspoon of Nutella.  Leave the edges clear to brush on the egg wash.  I put the egg wash on some first and then I put the Nutella first and the egg wash last.  Do what works for you.

What you shouldn't do is put the egg wash covered knife back in the Nutella jar.  Use a spoon to get some out and a knife to spread it. 

 

Roll up the triangles from the wide end.  If they seem to stick, use a pastry cutter to lift the end.  As you roll, gently press the egg wash edges to the pastry to seal it. Place the croissant on the prepared cookie sheet and curl it in a crescent. Brush the egg wash over the top of the croissants.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown.

 

If you want to try Nutella raspberry croissants, place a scant 1/4 teaspoon or so of seedless raspberry jam on top of the Nutella.  Spread it with a different knife.  Do the egg wash and rolling thing.  Then the egg wash thing on top.  Once again, bake until golden.
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And here is the MAGICAL croissant.  The others are good.  Seriously good.  But these are Magical.

Take the remaining strip of puff pastry.  Roll it a bit wider.  Remember to keep adding a dusting of flour to the counter.  And don't roll out the dough where you have done the egg wash.  It might stick.

 

Cut the wider strip into a triangle with a pastry cutter or a pizza cutter.  Spread 1 to 2 teaspoons of Nutella on the triangle, leaving the edges for the egg wash.  Get out a Lindt Lindor truffle.  The chocolate hazelnut flavored kind.  I cut mine in half.  It just looked too big to fit.

 

Place the cut truffle in the wide end of the triangle and roll up, pressing gently on the edges to seal.  Form into a crescent, brush the egg wash on top and bake.  It might need a bit longer, because it is bigger.

 

The little ones are cute and have a nice little spot of Nutella.  The raspberry is delicious, too.  But the truffle one??  Oh, my.  SOOOO good.  Seriously.  Make yourself one...or more.  And you can keep the ingredients for months and pull them out to impress your friends. 

 

"Why, yes.  I DID make these delicious chocolate truffle hazelnut croissants!"