Cheater Pain au Chocolat

Photo from Epicurious

This my friends is an impressive way to cheat and have hot Pain au Chocolat fresh from the oven on a Sunday morning.   Now I have made crossiant dough and it is not an easy nor quick task to undergo.   I pulled these together on a whim Sunday morning after finding some Puff Pastry lingering on a shelf the night before during a late night dig through the freezer for some ice cream.   The next morning I cut them in 12ths; brushed them with egg wash; rolled up some chocolate chips in them; brushed with egg wash; and sprinkled sugar on top.   Fifteen minutes of baking and nirvana...

Today when writing the post I found a recipe on Epicurious.

Petits Pains au Chocolat
(Gourmet, April 2004) 

2 sheets frozen puff pastry (one 17.3-ounce package), thawed, each sheet cut into 12 squares
1 large egg beaten to blend with 1 water (for glaze)
4 3.5-ounce bars imported bittersweet or milk chocolate, each cut into six 2x3/4-inch pieces
Sugar

Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush top of each puff pastry square with egg glaze. Place 1 chocolate piece on edge of 1 pastry square. Roll up dough tightly, enclosing chocolate. Repeat with remaining pastry and chocolate. Place pastry rolls on baking sheet, seam side down. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover pastries with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Cover and refrigerate remaining egg glaze.)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush tops of pastry rolls with remaining egg glaze. Sprinkle lightly with sugar. Bake until pastries are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.