Pains au chocolat

If you have ever been to France you know that pains au chocolat (sometimes referred to as chocolate croissants here in the US) are amazing.  They may just be my favorite French snack of all time. That having been said, there are some pretty decent ones available to your local grocery store here in the U.S. since it's pretty much just melted chocolate pieces in croissant dough. The key is the quality of the croissant and of the chocolate as well as the use of plenty of butter! 

I had originally intended to whip up a batch the authentic French way...until I read all about the process required to make croissants.  It would seem that there are several (8 or so) rounds of rolling out dough, spreading with butter, folding over and then allowing it to sit and rise for an hour. YIKES.  The more I read about the processes of French food, the more convinced I am that even the steepest of prices is worth paying. But then I look at my modest party budget and reconsider.

  

So what do I do when pains au chocolat are a must at a French bakery party and yet they are such a pain in the rear to make?  I could do the total short cut and just through some chocolate chips in ready made croissants from Sam's Club. Or I could use the recipe that I found here which uses ready made puff pastry dough, chocolate pieces and an egg wash.  

Since I am trying to think of activities for kids that are theme-related, I think I may do the latter and have the kids help make them. I could cover the kids tables with wax paper and give each kid a small piece of rolled puff pastry dough and some chocolate pieces.  I could show the kids how to fold the dough over to enclose the chocolate and then give them each a little Dixie cup full of egg wash and a pastry brush (?) to coat the outside before they cut them into smaller pieces and put them on a baking tray.  It's fairly simple so I think with a little parental guidance, most kids could do it. How cute would it be to have personalized disposable chef hats and/or aprons for each kid?