Croissants Nobody Wants

May 15, 2008

What you are looking at is a tray of exploded mutant Chocolate Peanut Butter Croissants. All I did was follow Nigella Lawson’s easy recipe for Chocolate Croissants. The only difference was that I had spread 1/2 tsp or so of peanut butter on the puff pastry before adding the chocolate and rolling them up. And what did I get? Night of the Living Dead Chocolate Peanut Butter Croissant Zombies. Eek!

Like anyone, I get disappointed when I try a recipe and it doesn’t turn out. But what really grinds my gears (that was for you Family Guy fans) is when I try an ABSOLUTELY SIMPLE recipe and it doesn’t turn out. Because that just makes me feel like a dummy. And her little pep talk that proceeds this recipe which proclaims how easy it is doesn’t make me feel any better!

I watched Nigella make these on tv and followed the instructions and have no idea what happened but these look nothing like hers and certainly not how I’d like them to look. I wrapped the puff pastry around chocolate, painted them with an egg glaze and somehow when I took them out, the puff pastry puffed up, pushing the chocolate out on top of the croissants. They looked like a cakey chocolate mess and like they bled peanut butter. Boo!

I also used a bittersweet chocolate and think it made too dry of a combination with the peanut butter. I should have stuck with my gut and used milk or semi-sweet. So not only did they not look pretty, they didn’t taste great either.

Maybe instead of the triangular shape, I will try the rectangular variety and really make sure to roll the pastry over a few times to avoid another explosion? My chocolate was peaking out a little bit before they baked but I just figured it would show through as it often does with chocolate croissants, not explode out of them completely.

Any suggestions? Please help!