funny menu for you
Pain au chocolat
serves 6
ingredients
450g/1lb strong plain flour
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon dried yeast
25g/1oz lard
1 egg, beaten lightly
225ml/8fl oz hand-hot water
175g/6oz butter, softened
beaten egg, to seal and glaze
100g/4oz dark chocolate (at least
70% cocoa solids), broken into
12 squares
• Lightly grease a baking tray.
• Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl, and stir in the yeast. Rub in the
fat lard using your fingertips. Add the egg and enough of the water to
form a soft dough. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until elastic.
• Roll the dough out to form a rectangle measuring 38 x 20cm/15 x 8in.
Divide the butter into three portions, and dot one portion over two-thirds
of the rectangle, leaving a small border around the edge.
• Fold the rectangle into three by first folding the plain third of the dough
over, then the other third. Seal the edges of the dough by pressing with
a rolling pin. Give the dough a quarter turn. Re-roll and fold again,
without butter, then wrap the dough and chill for 30 minutes.
• Repeat the buttering and folding outlined above twice more, chilling the
dough each time. Re-roll and fold twice more without butter. Chill for a
final 30 minutes.
• Roll the dough to a rectangle measuring 45 x 30cm/18 x 12in, trim and
halve lengthways. Cut each half into 6 rectangles, and brush with
beaten egg. Put a chocolate square at the end of each rectangle, and
roll up to form a sausage.
• Press the ends together and place, seam side up, on the baking tray.
Cover and leave to rise for 40 minutes in a warm place.
• Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas mark 7.
• Brush the pastries with egg, and bake for 20–25 minutes until golden.
Cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or cold.
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