Tarts & Pastries

Chocolate Almond Calzones

Chocolate Almond Calzones
A delicious sweet twist on the Italian Calzone pizza. Almond butter and chocolate-filled pastry. From Fran Gage, pastry chef and author of  A Sweet  Quartet.

Chocolate Almond Calzones

Ingredients

    Dough:

    • 10 oz. milk, lukewarm
    • 1/5 oz. active dry yeast
    • 2 eggs
    • 3 oz. unsalted butter
    • 1 lb., 4 oz. all-purpose flour
    • 1/3 oz. salt
    • 2-1/3 oz. sugar

    Filling and topping:

    • 4 oz. bittersweet chocolate
    • 6-3/4 oz. Mandelin Natural Roasted Almond Butter
    • 1/2 cup Mandelin Natural Sliced Almonds
    • 1 egg yolk

    Directions

      Preparation:

      1. In mixer bowl, dissolve yeast in milk. Add eggs, butter. flour, salt and sugar to milk and yeast mixture.

      2. With dough hook, knead dough on medium speed for 5 minutes or until dough forms a ball on hook, adding a small amount of addtional flour or milk if necessary. 

      3. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise at 75°F until it doubles in size, about 2-3 hours.

      4. Meanwhile, melt chocolate over simmering water. Whisk until smooth. 

      5. Whisk in almond butter. 

      6. Refrigerate filling about 30 minutes or until spreadable, but not hard.

      To assemble calzones:

      1. Divide dough into 12 3-oz. pieces. Shape each piece into a round ball. Let rest for about 5 minutes. Stretch or roll each ball into a circle 1/4" thick and about 6" in diameter.

      2. Spread filling on one half of each disk, leaving 1/2" border around edge. Moisten edges of dough with water; fold uncovered halves over filling, making half moons. Press edges together to seal.

      3. Place calzones on parchment-lined sheet pan. Cover loosely with a plastic bag and let rise at 75°F about 1 hour or until they puff and hold an imprint when touched with a finger. Beat egg yolks with 1 Tbsp. water. Brush each calzone with egg wash and sprinkle with sliced almonds. Bake at 375°F in middle of oven for 15 minutes or until brown and hollowsounding when thumped.