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Buttery, flaky dough meets sweet juicy berries and rich chocolate in these raspberry almond crescents. They're a fancy-looking treat that's actually super easy to make. Straight from your oven, these golden goodies will seem like you spent hours in the kitchen, when you really just grabbed a few basics and used simple tricks. They look so good nobody will guess how quick they were to whip up, making them great for random Tuesday nights or fancy get-togethers.
I came up with these crescents in a panic when friends called saying they'd drop by for coffee in an hour. Scrambling to make something nice, I checked what I had on hand and threw these together. My friends thought I'd rushed out to buy pastries, and I'll never forget their shocked faces when I told them I'd just made them. Now whenever I need to impress someone fast, these are my go-to trick.
What You'll Need
- Refrigerated crescent dough: Gets you that perfect flakiness without any fussy baking
- Fresh raspberries: Add bursts of juicy tartness and pretty red spots
- Quality chocolate chunks: Turn into gooey puddles that taste amazing with the fruit
- Sliced almonds: Give you that nice crunch and toast up golden brown
- Fresh egg wash: Makes your pastries shine like they're from a fancy shop
- Vegetable shortening: Helps make that smooth chocolate drizzle look pro
- Vanilla extract: Adds depth without taking over the whole flavor
- Pinch of salt: Cuts the sweetness and makes everything taste better
- Turbinado sugar: Sprinkles some sparkle and crunch on top
- Lemon zest: Adds a hint of citrus that wakes up all the flavors
How To Make Them
- Get Everything Ready:
- Turn your oven to 375°F with the rack in the middle. Put parchment on a baking sheet. Let the dough sit out for a few minutes so it's easier to handle. Wash your raspberries and dry them completely or you'll end up with soggy pastries.
- Put Them Together:
- Unroll your dough and pull apart the triangles. Put three chocolate chunks and four raspberries at the wide end of each triangle. Tuck the corners over your filling a bit, then roll toward the pointy end to keep everything inside.
- Make Them Pretty:
- Put your crescents on the baking sheet with the pointy ends tucked under so they don't unroll. Mix an egg with a teaspoon of water and brush it on top. Scatter almonds over them, pressing lightly so they stick. Sprinkle some sugar on top for extra crunch.
- Watch While Baking:
- Bake until they're nice and golden, about nine to eleven minutes. Keep an eye on them at the end so the almonds don't burn. Let them cool on the pan for three minutes before moving them to a rack.
- Add The Drizzle:
- Mix your leftover chocolate chunks with a bit of shortening in a bowl you can microwave. Heat it in short twenty-second bursts, stirring each time until it's smooth. Put the melted chocolate in a sandwich bag, snip off a tiny corner, and squeeze zigzags across your pastries.
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We stumbled on a tasty twist when my kid grabbed blackberries instead of raspberries from our backyard. The bigger berries made juicier pockets and tasted amazing with dark chocolate instead of semisweet. We now make this version in fall when raspberry plants stop producing and blackberries are everywhere.
Perfect Pairings
These crescents go great with fresh fruit if you're eating them for breakfast or brunch. For a fancy dessert, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and some extra warm chocolate on top. They're perfect with coffee when friends come over. Try them with champagne and strawberries for special events. Or add them to your holiday cookie platter for something different.
Try These Swaps
Switch to blackberries or cut-up strawberries for different flavors. Try white chocolate chunks if you want something sweeter. Play with different nuts like pistachios or hazelnuts. Mix orange zest into your chocolate for extra zing. You can even mix tiny chocolate chips into the dough before rolling for chocolate in every bite.
Saving For Later
Keep your cooled crescents in a sealed container with parchment paper between layers. They're best eaten within two days. To freshen up day-old ones, warm them in a 300°F oven for five minutes. You can freeze uncooked prepared crescents for up to a month - just add two minutes to the baking time. Don't stick baked ones in the fridge though - they'll get stale faster.
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When I brought these to a fancy brunch once, my friend who went to cooking school asked about my pastry technique, thinking I'd made dough from scratch. Everyone wanted to know how to make them when I shared how simple they were. They look way fancier than the work that goes into them, so they're great for beginners who want to impress or busy bakers who need a shortcut. My neighbor now makes these with her grandkids, which gives them fun kitchen time together with a treat that always turns out great.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → Can I use frozen raspberries for these chocolate crescents?
- You can totally use fresh or frozen raspberries in this recipe. If you go with frozen ones, don't thaw them beforehand - this way you'll keep the crescents from getting soggy from extra moisture.
- → How do I store leftover raspberry almond crescents?
- Put any leftover crescents in a sealed container and keep them at room temperature for up to 2 days. Pop them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to warm them up before eating.
- → Can I substitute the almonds for a different nut?
- For sure! If almonds aren't your thing or you've got allergies, try chopped pecans, walnuts, or hazelnuts instead. You can also skip the nuts completely if you want.
- → What type of chocolate works best for the drizzle?
- Bittersweet or semisweet chocolate bits work great for drizzling. Milk chocolate is good too if you want something sweeter. Adding a tiny bit of shortening makes the drizzle flow better.
- → Can I make these raspberry crescents ahead of time?
- They taste best when they're fresh and warm. But you can get them ready up to the point of baking, keep them in the fridge for up to 24 hours, and bake when you're ready to eat. Just add a minute or two to the cooking time if they come straight from the fridge.
- → Is there a way to make these crescents gluten-free?
- You can use gluten-free crescent roll dough instead of regular - many specialty grocery stores carry it. Just make sure your chocolate is gluten-free too.