Chocolate Pastry Plait

Ingredients

• 1 x 320g puff pastry, sheet thawed
  
• 60g mascarpone, at room temperature
• 1 x 180g dark chocolate bar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tsp water
• 30g flaked almonds

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/gas mark 6.
2. Lay the puff pastry flat on a sheet of parchment paper.
3. Spread the Mascarpone down the middle lengthwise, leaving about 8cm of space on either side.
4. Top with the chocolate bar.
5. To make the plait, cut diagonal lines leading outwards from the filling and away from you at 1cm intervals up each side of the pastry dough. Fold the rectangular ends of the puff pastry up over the filling.
6. Beginning on one side, pull one strip of dough over the filling, then alternate with a strip of dough from the other side. Continue pulling the strips over the filling until you reach the top.
7. Once the entire puff pastry is wrapped up, lift it up on the parchment paper and transfer to a baking tray.
8. Brush with the egg wash and scatter with the flaked almonds. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cut into quarters and serve warm with cream or ice cream.