9.20.2010

Petit Pain Au Chocolate

"If you fell down yesterday, stand up today." - H. G. Wells

I don't know how many of you out there believe in astrology, but I do, well, to an extent, most of the time. Sometimes I think or say, "Damn, so-and-so is such a Pisces!" or "Um, I've never known a Sagittarius" or relating actions and words back to that person's astrological sign. Regardless of that, Virgos are notorious for being critical, arrogant, uncensored, tidy, organized, perfectionists, artistic, other stuff, but mostly extremely picky. Obviously, Virgos are known for more than this, but these qualities are what stick out the most. At home, at work, these characteristics are always brought out in me. Let me get into how stuff can get here at my house. My mom usually is the one that cleans and organizes the house, which includes my bedroom. Now, I have a second room. My friends and I call it my cave. It's my room to study, watch tv, talk on the phone, blog, and bum around after a long party night. While my mom fixes things in my bedroom to her liking, I fix things in my cave. It may not be 100% organized, but it's probably at like a 90%, and I know where everything is and how it's placed. If you were to browse around my laptop, you'd think I'm a freak. Everything is labelled with appropriate titles and dates, and are also filed my own way in specific folders, the music is organized by genre and performer, and... I'm blabbing. I can go on and on about the ways to my madness, but I'd rather not. I'd rather focus on how these amazing croissant-like desserts take all the craziness out of my head. The layers of puff pastry give way to a bottom layer of milk chocolate that just melts in your mouth. When eating these, I'd always heat them up a bit so the chocolate could be extra gooey, and I recommend you guys do that too when making/eating these.

Petit Pain Au Chocolate
adapted from: Nestlé Best-Loved Recipes

makes 8 pastries

Ingredients:
1 package (17.25 oz) frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
6 oz Nestlé Toll House Milk Chocolate Morsels, divided
1 large egg, beaten
2 oz semi-sweet chocolate, broken into pieces
1 tbsp salted butter
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tbsp hot water

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350F. Grease 2 baking sheets.
2) Unfold 1 pastry sheet on lightly floured surface. Roll out to make 10-inch square. Cut into 4 squares. Place 2 tablespoons morsels in center of each square. Brush edges lightly with beaten egg and fold squares to form triangles. Press edges to seal. Place on prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Repeat with remaining pastry sheet. Brush top of each pastry with beaten egg.
3) Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until puffed and golden. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
4) Melt semi-sweet chocolate and butters in small, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on High power for 30 seconds. Stir. Chocolate may retain some of its original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until bar is melted. Stir in sugar. Add water, stirring until icing is smooth, adding additional water, if necessary. Drizzle icing over pastries.

9 comments:

  1. There are layers of gooey goodness in this pastry and using puff pastry takes it over the top. Looks amazing!

    I'm a Virgo too and guilty as charged for all the characteristics you mentioned :)

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  2. Love that this pain au involves chocolatey gooyeness.

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  3. WOW! Look at that, so gorgeous and so full of chocolate, yum!

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  4. Omg, this looks so delicious. And i know it will sound strange, but it reminds me of argentina (i just got back on sunday)!!! they eat tons of pastries like this for breakfast and in the afternoons over there. So yummy.

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  5. Oh yum! I could really go for one of these puppies right this instant, excuse me while I wipe the drool off my chin!

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  6. Fabulous.. the chocolate oozing out makes me want to take a big ole bite! I wish my mom would clean my room still!

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  7. Mmmm, fabulous post! I wish could just grab one from my screen!

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  8. Cristina: Yay for finding a fellow Virgo on here! :)

    Rachel, Cherine, & ravie: Thanks!!!

    roxan: Are you from Argentina or did you only go for vacation?

    foodies: Hahahaha :) :)

    Evan & Catherine: Awww thanks!!

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