Chocolate Pastry

Ingredients

Filling

  • 4.5 oz dark chocolate
  • a handful almond chunks
  • 2-3 tsp brown sugar
  • salt
  • cayenne
  • cinnamon

Also

  • puff pastry sheet
  • 1 egg (for egg wash)

Method

Make the filling

  • Toast the almonds in a pan for a few minutes until they smell nutty
  • Transfer them into a food processor bowl and let them cool
  • Put the rest of the ingredients in
  • Pulse until everything is decently small and well mixed
  • Taste and adjust

Prep

  • Thaw out puff pastry for ~15–20 mins, until it's pliable enough to unfold easily
  • Make the filling
  • Preheat an oven to 420°F
  • Make an egg wash
  • Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone mat

Production

  • Unfold the puff pastry sheet and cut into thirds with a pizza cutter along the seams
  • Cut those in half to create 6 rectangles
  • Separate the pastries from each other
  • Add filling to the middle of each pastry
  • For each pastry:
    • Brush the long edges with egg wash to help seal
    • Fold dough from each side over top of the filling
    • Flip it over so the seam is on the bottom
    • Crimp the open ends closed with a fork
  • Brush the pastries all over with egg wash
  • Move the pastries to the lined sheet
  • Bake until golden brown, around 15–20 minutes
  • Let cool on a wire rack

Notes

These are best enjoyed warm from the oven.

This amount of filling is perfect for 2 puff pastry sheets.

I usually use at least 70% dark chocolate. Even better is chili flavored dark chocolate.

I like to let the puff pastry thaw on one of those pre-cut flat sheets of parchment paper from a restaurant supply store. You can use it as a work surface for the egg wash steps, too, so cleanup is really easy.

I've also used a mortar and pestle when I didn't have access to a food processor.