Chocolate puff pastry is a quick and simple dessert recipe that takes less than an hour from start to finish. It's a golden, flaky pastry filled with heavenly Nutella, making every twist and turn of the braid bread pure bliss!
I swear, chocolate desserts with puff pastry exist to make you look impressive! Guests (or, your better half, if you’re making this easy chocolate twist for Valentine’s Day) will go gaga over it while you’re thinking, “This old thing? I made it in an hour!”
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Why you'll love chocolate puff pastry?
- It’s the most delicious chocolate-filled pastry on God’s green earth!
- Not a baker? You’ll still be able to make this puff pastry braid.
- It’s a 5-ingredient Nutella puff pastry recipe, and you probably have them in your house already!
- Perfect for days you want chocolate wrapped up in a light, fluffy, crispy shell with your coffee or tea.
Ingredients & swaps
Puff pastry: Chocolate puff pastry desserts can be made with either homemade or store-bought puff pastry.
Filling: Don’t love the thought of Nutella with puff pastry? Use any chocolate filling for pastry, like Biscoff spread. Or try a nut butter like peanut or almond.
Egg wash can be easily substituted with heavy cream.
Add-ons: I love how malleable this puff pastry dessert idea is. You can make a couple of easy additions to the filling:
- Sliced bananas
- Fresh or frozen raspberries
- Chopped hazelnuts or almonds
Toppings: Almond flakes make the chocolate pastry puffs look so pretty, and they add an extra nuttiness and crunch that will steal your appetite and heart. So don’t skip them. You can swap them for pecans, walnuts, or hazelnuts.
How to make puff pastry with Nutella braid?
Since everyone has powdered sugar and eggs in the pantry, the only thing you need to make this delectable treat is Nutella, almond flakes, and puff pastry. Don’t you just love no-fuss dessert ideas that come together in a cinch?
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Follow the instructions on the package and thaw your puff pastry.
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Roll into a rough rectangle (about 14 by 17 inches).
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Divide the rectangle into three equal parts. You can either eyeball it or fold the dough to create two creases that act as markers.
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On each of the side sections of the rolled-out puff pastry, cut equal-sized diagonal stripes.
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On the center section, spread Nutella, leaving about ½ inch of space on top and bottom.
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Fold over the top and bottom empty ends of the middle section.
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Now begin braiding the puff pastry with Nutella by taking one strip from the left section and crossing it over to the right. Now take a strip from the right section and fold it over to the other side so it overlaps the first strip.
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Continue crisscrossing the cut strips over each other till you have a complete braid.
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Chill the puff pastry with chocolate in the freezer for 10 minutes.
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Brush with beaten egg. Sprinkle granulated sugar and almond flakes on top.
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Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden and toasty.
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Let the Nutella puff pastry rest for 10 minutes before slicing, serving, and sinking your teeth in!
Recipe notes
- I got about 10 stripes on each of the side sections of the chocolate puff pastry . You can make as many or as few cuts as you want, as long as both sides have the same number.
- Once braided, the chocolate with puff pastry dough is ready for the oven. You don’t need to chill it. I just found it makes for a crispier dessert.
- If you use homemade nut butter or homemade Nutella in this chocolate puff pastry recipe, make sure they are not runny.
- Refrigerate them until they are firm enough to handle, or else you’ll have a super messy pastry at hand.
FAQs
Puff pastry and Nutella desserts are best eaten the day they are baked, either as-is or with a dusting of icing sugar.
However, if you want to make it super indulgent, serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. (I will not judge and gladly partake in this hedonism.)
Whether you finish this Nutella puff pastry braid in an hour or a week is between you and your sweet tooth. But if you do have leftovers (I think not!), refrigerate them.
Warm in a preheated oven for 5 minutes before serving. Microwaves make anything with puff pastry chewy, so I wouldn’t recommend it.
More Valentine's Day dessert ideas?
Half the joy of cooking is sharing it with others. That’s why I’m always eager to hear from you. So go right ahead and drop a comment or reach out on Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, or Facebook. I hope you love this chocolate puff pastry as much as we do!
📖 Recipe
Easy Chocolate Puff Pastry Braid
Ingredients
- 17 oz Puff pastry
- 12 oz Nutella chocolate spread
- 1 Egg, beaten, for egg wash
- 2 tbsp Almond flakes, for topping
- 1-2 tbsp Granulated sugar, for topping
- 2 tbsp Icing sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200 C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper or Silpat.
- Thaw your puff pastry according to package instructions.
- Lightly flour your work surface and roll the puff pastry into a large rectangle (approx 14 by 17 inches).
- Divide the rectangle into three equal parts. You can either eyeball it or fold the dough to create two creases that act as markers.
- On each of the side sections of the rolled-out puff pastry, cut equal-sized diagonal strips.
- On the center section, spread Nutella, leaving about ½ inch of space on top and bottom.
- Fold over the top and bottom empty ends of the middle section.
- Now begin braiding the puff pastry with Nutella by taking one strip from the left section and crossing it over to the right. Now take a strip from the right section and fold it over to the other side so it overlaps the first strip at an angle.
- Continue crisscrossing the cut strips over each other till you have a complete braid.
- Chill the puff pastry with chocolate in the freezer for 10 minutes.
- Brush with the beaten egg. Sprinkle granulated sugar and almond flakes on top.
- Bake at 200 C for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden and toasty.
- Let the pastry rest for 10 minutes before slicing, serving, and sinking your teeth in! Enjoy!
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