Chocolate Orange Puff Pastry
Chocolate Orange Puff Pastry: A Pastry Twist on the Classic Christmas Candy
If you’re looking for a yummy treat to impress your friends and family, look no further than this Chocolate Orange Puff Pastry. It’s everything you want in a dessert: flaky, buttery, slightly crispy, and filled with gooey chocolate and a hint of bright, refreshing orange. It’s also not hard to make because you aren’t making the puff pastry from scratch. I love desserts that look like I slaved on them but are actually pretty easy to make!
Why This Chocolate Orange Puff Pastry is a Must-Try:
What makes this pastry so special is the combination of two irresistible flavors: the rich, creamy Nutella and the fresh, zesty kick of orange. If you love chocolate-orange combinations (think about those classic candy chocolate oranges you break apart during the holidays), then making this pastry is a no-brainer! It’s just like your favorite chocolate orange, but in flaky pastry form!
The final touch is the orange glaze, which adds a sweet, tangy finish that elevates the whole pastry. Don’t skip the glaze, it pulls the whole thing together!
Ingredients You’ll Need-
This recipe uses just a few simple ingredients to create something truly spectacular. You’ll need puff pastry, Nutella, fresh oranges (for both zest and juice), and a few pantry staples like powdered sugar, egg, and water for the glaze and egg wash. I love an easy Christmas dessert!
So, the next time you want to bake something special, give this recipe a try. It’s sure to become a new favorite in your baking repertoire!
Chocolate Orange Puff Pastry
This flaky, twisty pastry is a dreamy combination of warm, gooey chocolate and a burst of citrusy orange flavor. The golden, puffed layers are artfully twisted into a star shape, creating a dessert that can also double as a centerpiece on your table.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Total Time: 42 minutes
- Yield: makes 8 pull apart sections 1x
Ingredients
Pastry-
2 sheets puff pastry
½ cup Nutella
One orange, finely zested
Egg wash-
1 egg
1 teaspoon water
Glaze-
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 cup powdered sugar
Zest of 1 orange
1 tablespoon powdered sugar, for dusting, if desired
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a pizza stone/pan or a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Thaw the puff pastry, following the instructions on the package. (usually about 30 minutes) You don’t want it too warm but cool enough to not have the laminated butter melt while you make the star.
Cut each sheet into about a 9–10-inch circle using a large plate or a cake pan as the guide. A pizza cutter works great for this. Make sure you’re not sliding a knife through it or it won’t puff up as nicely in the oven.
Place one of your circles on the prepared pizza pan or baking sheet.
Warm up your Nutella slightly in the microwave and add about 2/3 of the zest to it. Stir it up to combine and then even spread the Nutella over the top of the puff pastry, leaving about a ¼ inch border with no Nutella around the edge. Use your fingers to help spread the chocolate if needed *see FAQ section for more details below recipe card.
Top with the second puff pastry piece and carefully press down so it sticks.
Place the baking sheet or pizza pan in the freezer for about 10 minutes to firm up a bit again or it will be harder to work with and cut in the next step.
Egg wash-
While your pastry is in the freezer, make the egg wash by whisking the egg and water together. Set aside.
Pastry continued-
Remove from the freezer and put a small bowl or cup (roughly 2-3 inches in diameter) in the middle of the circle to use as your stopping guide.
Cut the puff pastry in 4 even sections starting at the bowl and going out. Then cut each of the fourths in half followed by cutting each eighth in half again, making 16 strips in total.
Lift 2 pieces next to each other and twist both in opposite directions. Pinch the ends together to ensure it won’t open up in the oven, forming a point. Wet your fingers to seal the edge shut if they won’t stay together. Continue on with all the additional pieces, working 2 at a time, making 8 twists in total.
Brush the egg wash all over the top of the pastry (you won’t use all the egg wash, you just want a light even layer over the top) and bake for about 22-27 minutes, until the top is well browned and puffy.
Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before gently transferring to a wire rack to cool for an additional 5-10 minutes.
Glaze-
Make the glaze by whisking together the orange juice, powdered sugar and orange zest.
Drizzle over the top of the mostly cooled pastry.
When ready to serve, dust with a generous amount of powdered sugar and the leftover bits of orange zest.
Pull strips off and enjoy.
Best eaten the day it’s made.
Notes
Step-by-step pictures and Frequently Asked Questions below recipe card.
Store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 2 days.
Frequently Asked Questions – Chocolate Orange Puff Pastry
- Make sure your oven is fully preheated and you put the pastry in quickly, letting out as little hot air as possible.
- Don’t overhandle your dough because the warmth of your hands will melt the butter layers in the puff pastry.
- Make sure you’re cooking this on a baking sheet that has low or no rims to let the hot air hit all the pastry, a pizza stone works best for this.
These are delicious! I’m so excited to make my own batch for the holidays.
It was surprisingly easy to make for how beautiful it looks (I’m not always this successful with a first attempt at a new recipe). The orange chocolate combination is divine. It reminded me of a cross between a chocolate croissant and a chocolate orange.