Elevated, elegant, and surprisingly easy…this puff pastry snowflake is filled with molten chocolate and hints of citrus! Perfect for holiday brunch!

Ingredients

  • 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed yet cold
  • 1 egg, beaten

Molten Chocolate Filling

  • 5 ounces semisweet chocolate (I like Baker’s, but you can use chocolate chips too)
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • ¼ tsp kosher salt
  • *1 – 1 ½ Tbsp orange zest (optional, but recommended)
  • Powdered sugar for serving (optional)

Tools & Timing

  • Parchment paper
  • Baking sheet
  • Pastry brush
  • Beaters and prep bowl
  • Small, sharp knife
  • Small bowl or ramekin
  • Star or snowflake cookie cutter, same diameter as the small bowl or ramekin (see pics)
  • Two small prep bowls, one glass
  • Zester and small cutting board
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Frosting spatula (or a spoon, honestly)
  • Sifter (optional, for powdered sugar)
  • Timing: 40 minutes to prep and bake; plus time to thaw your puff pastry
  • Serves up to 8

Background

I have always wanted to make star bread; however, many recipes for chocolate star bread call for the use of Nutella. Since I have a nut allergy, I decided to try using my go-to molten chocolate filling…I also wanted an option that was quick and easy for serving on holidays…so pre-made puff pastry dough it was!

This recipe is adapted from Life Made Simple

Chocolate Molten Filling adapted from  Half Baked Harvest

Step-by-step

Prep ahead:

  1. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Set out 2 eggs to come to room temperature.
  3. Set out your puff pastry to thaw about 40 minutes ahead of your planned baking time (open package and place both sheets, unfolded, on parchment lined baking sheet; set a timer for 30 minutes).

Once your puff pastry sheets have thawed for 30 minutes, begin your molten filling with orange zest.

Make the molten chocolate filling:

  1. Place chopped chocolate and butter (cut into ½ pats) into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at 30 seconds intervals, stirring well between each, until chocolate and butter are smooth and incorporated. (I only needed to microwave three times.)
  2. In a different bowl, whisk egg and sugar together for 3 minutes. Whisk melted chocolate into the egg mixture. Then, mix in the salt.
  3. Place chocolate mixture in the fridge for at 5 minutes.
  4. Wash, dry, and zest your orange. Set aside.

Once your pastry sheets are thawed (still cold but they can be unfolded without cracking), begin:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Using a small, sharp knife cut the edge off of your puff so you make a rounded corner (see picture). Then, using the cut off dough as a stencil to cut off the other edges of your pastry sheet until you have a circle. Repeat with other pastry sheet.
  3. Place your small bowl or ramekin upside down in the middle of one of your pastry circles. Then, saving 3 tablespoons of your chocolate mixture for later, spread the rest of your chocolate mixture around your ramekin, leaving about ½ inch diameter clean at the edge (this means you’ll use about 3/4 cup of the chocolate spread now). Sprinkle with orange zest.
  1. Remove the ramekin and carefully place your second square of pastry dough on top of the first. Gently press and seal the outer edges of your pastry together. Place ramekin back in the center of your stacked circles. Press the inner edges of your chocolate circle together using the same technique (leaving the center of the dough under the ramekin unpressed so we can fill our cutout snowflake with chocolate later!)
  2. Using a sharp knife, cut from ramekin edges to the edge of your pastry stack so you create 4 equal segments. Then, cut each portion in half again…and then again…so you end up with sixteen portions (see pictures).
  1. Working in sets of two, take two pieces of dough that are next to each other and twist each THREE TIMES in OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS. Press and seal edges together – really squish them so they stay sealed – now you have one point of your snowflake (see picture).
  2. Continue this process until you have done the same to all of the cut pieces of dough – you will now have an 8-pointed snowflake.
  3. Remove the ramekin and use a cookie cutter to cut out the center of your puff.
  1. Use the extra chocolate mixture and any remaining orange zest to fill your extra pieces of dough (I fill the center of my snowflake cutout…I also twist the other edge pieces together to make shapes and fill those too! – I mean, why waste good chocolate and pastry dough?!).
  2. Whisk your second egg in a small prep bowl. Use a pastry brush to lightly coat the dough of your various pastries.
  3. Bake for 27-30 minutes.
  4. Once the snowflake looks golden, remove from oven and allow to cool slightly on baking sheet. *If you’d like your chocolate to be served molten, let snowflake (and other pastries) rest for 3-5 minutes on the baking sheet before dusting with powdered sugar and serving. (Hint: when dusting, use a small sieve or shaker with small holes in the lid – place 1-2 Tbsp of powdered sugar in sieve or shaker and gently tap it as you move the sieve or shaker over your pastry – this will create a light ‘dusting’ of powdered sugar.) Otherwise, let cool for 20 minutes…then dust and serve…

Serve and Enjoy

If you have any leftovers, they can be stored in the refrigerator and then reheated decently well in a toaster over; however, this is one item I’d recommend that you serve immediately!