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Chocolate Pastry Puffs

By Afton Cyrus

Published on January 4, 2023

Time

50 minutes

Yield

Makes 6 pastries

WHAT KIDS ARE SAYING:

“It made me feel like a professional baker.”—Kendall, recipe tester, age 10

Chocolate Pastry Puffs

Ingredients

All-purpose flour, for sprinkling on counter1 (9½-by-9-inch) sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed3 ounces (85 grams) bittersweet chocolate, ­broken into six 2-inch squares1 large egg, cracked into bowl and lightly beaten with fork 1–2 teaspoons confectioners’ (powdered) sugar

Before You Begin

You can thaw frozen puff pastry by keeping it in the refrigerator overnight or leaving it out on the counter for about 30 minutes. We developed this recipe with Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Bars, which break apart into 2-inch squares, but you can use whatever bittersweet or semisweet chocolate bars you like.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Lightly sprinkle clean counter with flour. Unfold puff pastry onto floured counter. Use rolling pin to gently roll puff pastry into 10½-inch square.
  3. Cut, fill, and shape pastries following photos, “Step-By-Step: How to Shape Pastry Puffs,” below.
  4. Transfer shaped pastries to parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving space between pastries. Use pastry brush to paint tops of pastries evenly with beaten egg.
  5. Place baking sheet in oven and bake until pastries are puffed and deep golden brown, about 20 minutes.
  6. Use oven mitts to remove baking sheet from oven and place on cooling rack (ask an adult for help). Let pastries cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes.
  7. Set fine-mesh strainer over small bowl. Add confectioners’ sugar to strainer. Use fine-mesh strainer to dust confectioners’ sugar evenly over pastries, gently tapping side of strainer to release sugar. Serve warm.

Chocolate Pastry Puffs

Save

Time

50 minutes

Yield

Makes 6 pastries

WHAT KIDS ARE SAYING:

“It made me feel like a professional baker.”—Kendall, recipe tester, age 10

Ingredients

All-purpose flour, for sprinkling on counter
1 (9½-by-9-inch) sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
3 ounces (85 grams) bittersweet chocolate, ­broken into six 2-inch squares
1 large egg, cracked into bowl and lightly beaten with fork
1–2 teaspoons confectioners’ (powdered) sugar

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

All-purpose flour, for sprinkling on counter
1 (9½-by-9-inch) sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
3 ounces (85 grams) bittersweet chocolate, ­broken into six 2-inch squares
1 large egg, cracked into bowl and lightly beaten with fork
1–2 teaspoons confectioners’ (powdered) sugar

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

All-purpose flour, for sprinkling on counter
1 (9½-by-9-inch) sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
3 ounces (85 grams) bittersweet chocolate, ­broken into six 2-inch squares
1 large egg, cracked into bowl and lightly beaten with fork
1–2 teaspoons confectioners’ (powdered) sugar

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

Store-bought puff pastry is what makes these Chocolate Pastry Puffs, well, puff! Puff pastry dough is made of as many as 700 ultra thin layers of dough and fat (either butter or vegetable oil, depending on which brand of puff pastry you buy). In the oven, water in the dough (and the butter) turns to steam, which causes your pastries to expand and puff up. If your oven has a window, encourage kids to snap a photo of their pastry puffs every 5 minutes during their 20-minute bake so they can see that puffing in action! They might even be able to see a little bit of steam escaping . . .

Want more? Read the whole story

Before You Begin

You can thaw frozen puff pastry by keeping it in the refrigerator overnight or leaving it out on the counter for about 30 minutes. We developed this recipe with Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Bars, which break apart into 2-inch squares, but you can use whatever bittersweet or semisweet chocolate bars you like.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Lightly sprinkle clean counter with flour. Unfold puff pastry onto floured counter. Use rolling pin to gently roll puff pastry into 10½-inch square.
  3. Cut, fill, and shape pastries following photos, “Step-By-Step: How to Shape Pastry Puffs,” below.
  4. Transfer shaped pastries to parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving space between pastries. Use pastry brush to paint tops of pastries evenly with beaten egg.
  5. Place baking sheet in oven and bake until pastries are puffed and deep golden brown, about 20 minutes.
  6. Use oven mitts to remove baking sheet from oven and place on cooling rack (ask an adult for help). Let pastries cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes.
  7. Set fine-mesh strainer over small bowl. Add confectioners’ sugar to strainer. Use fine-mesh strainer to dust confectioners’ sugar evenly over pastries, gently tapping side of strainer to release sugar. Serve warm.

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