French in a Flash: Pain au Chocolat Cinnamon Rolls with Crème Fraîche Icing and Walnuts

Cinnamon Roll Ingredients

• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed but cold
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• ½ cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
• ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Icing Ingredients

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons crème fraîche
• 1 tablespoon milk

Procedure

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Mix together the sugars, cinnamon, and salt.
3. Unroll both sheets of puff pastry, and paint both lightly with melted butter using a pastry brush.  You will have some butter left over.
4. Divide the sugar-cinnamon mixture between the two sheets of pastry, spreading evenly.  Divide the walnuts and chocolate chips evenly across both pastry sheets.
5. Use the remaining butter to grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
6. Roll up both sheets of puff pastry, and use a serrated knife to cut each log into 6 cinnamon rolls.
7. Place 1 roll in each muffin cup, cut-side-up.  If any of the filling falls out, just divide it between the cinnamon rolls.  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, make the frosting by whisking together the powdered sugar, the crème fraîche, and the milk.
9. Use a knife to help lift the cinnamon rolls out of the muffin cups and onto a wire rack to cool.  When they are cool, spoon the frosting over the top of the cinnamon rolls.