Fromage Frais & Chocolate Chip Rolls

📝 Ingredients

• 250 g plain flour (+ a little for your hands)
• 250 g plain fromage frais
• 1 egg
• 1 sachet baking powder (11 g)
• 40 g caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 80 g dark chocolate chips
• 1 pinch of salt

🍴 Utensils

• Large mixing bowl
• Bowl
• Baking tray and baking paper
• Pastry brush
• Wire cooling rack

📖 Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C (170 °C fan) and line a baking tray with baking paper. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, sugar and pinch of salt with a spoon.
2. Beat the egg with a fork in a bowl and set aside 1 tbsp for glazing. Pour the rest of the egg, the fromage frais and the vanilla into the mixing bowl, then stir with a spoon until no dry flour remains.
3. Add the chocolate chips and bring the dough together by hand in a few seconds, without kneading: overworked, it would turn tough. It should be soft and slightly sticky; if it's very sticky, add 1 tbsp flour.
4. Lightly flour your hands and divide the dough into 8 equal pieces (about 80 g each). Roll them into balls between your palms and place them on the tray 5 cm apart, as they puff up while baking.
5. Brush the tops of the balls with the reserved egg, using a pastry brush or your fingertips, then cut a small cross into each one with a knife. The egg wash gives a shiny, golden crust.
6. Bake for 20 min at 180 °C, until the rolls are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped underneath. Don't bake them any longer: they would dry out.
7. Leave to cool completely on a wire rack, then seal them overnight in an airtight container or freezer bag. In the morning, eat them as they are or warm them for 5 min in the oven at 150 °C to bring back the crisp crust and melting chocolate.