May 2, 2010

Chocolate for breakfast


Long weekends are brilliant because a bank holiday Monday seems like a bonus day. An extra day added to the week just so that you can stay in bed or read every page of the Sunday newspapers. Long weekends to me mean leisurely breakfasts and starting the day off with something gorgeous.
I made these last weekend and hope to do the same again tomorrow! You could easily make these the night before and keep them in the fridge to bake the following morning.

Pain Au Chocolat

Ingredients:
1 sheet puff pastry (buy it!)
2oz ground almonds
1 oz sugar
3 oz nice dark chocolate
2 tbsp orange juice
4oz chocolate spread

Egg whisked for brushing
Sliced Almonds

Method:

  • Preheat the oven to 180 degrees
  • Lay the pastry on a lightly floured surface and cut into 8 equal pieces.
  • Blitz the almonds, dark chocolate chunks, sugar and orange juice in a food processor.
  • The chocolate should remain in coarse chips.
  • Spread a bit of chocolate spread on the top half of each piece of pastry.

  • Spread some of the almond mix on top of the chocolate spread.
  • Roll up and lay them seam down on a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper.

  • Brush with the whisked egg and sprinkle with the sliced almonds.

  • Bake in the centre of the oven for 20 minutes or until golden.
  • Dust with icing sugar. Eat at least one whilst it's hot! My God. yum.

So that's it. So easy and so gorgeous. Have a lovely long weekend!

Lilly x

9 comments:

  1. Very scrummy! I love puff pastry. I love making apple turnovers with it too

    ReplyDelete
  2. Utterly gorgeous, Lilly, and probably Incredibly Healthy. I like the glimpse of the pretty tablecloth too - it looks Japanese?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yummee.
    Where'd you get the fancy baking paper?
    Claire

    ReplyDelete
  4. lilly, i don't think your addressing me when you say ' you could easily make them the night before ' the words easily and the night before have never before featured in my cake making lexicon...could you just send me a box please.....i and everyone else who lives here would love to eat them.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love your emphatic "(buy it!)", regarding the puff pastry. This is one of my favorite Sunday treats alongside a cappuccino.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Aden: Apple Turnovers? A great idea!
    Mise: I think it is japanese, I got it on ebay, I have the same fabric in light blue with badgers and flamingoes on, so funny!
    Claire: I think the paper is from Green Gate. It's actually not very good though!
    Jaboopee: It is easier to buy them, I admit that!
    Tracy: A cappuccino would have been perfect with these! Yum.x

    ReplyDelete
  7. Ok, out of ALL the blogs i've "scanned" this recipe, and this idea have inspired me the most. Chocolate for breakfast!! and home baked and looking lovely with yummy almonds... YES PLEASE! I'll surprise my wife this Saturday morning. I'll be in the seriously good books.

    I may just substitute the chocolate spread and texture some real chocolate with eggs, and perhaps add a dash of good sherry to the mix and perhaps some orange zest. I'll let u know how i get on.

    r

    ReplyDelete
  8. Sounds great! Cointreau would be lovely added too I'd say. Enjoy!

    ReplyDelete

Let me know what you think!x