Chocolate Orange Pastries

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 16
• 3 ounces low-fat cream cheese (neufchatel recommended, at room temperature)
• 2 -3 teaspoons orange zest (optional)
• 2 refrigerated pie crusts (such as pillsbury ready roll, at room temperature)
• 1/4 cup orange marmalade
• 1 dash salt
• 1 egg (separated)
• 1/4-1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 teaspoons sugar

Recipe

• 1 heat oven to 350 degrees. line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• 2 in a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, orange marmalade, egg yolk, and orange zest until well blended.
• 3 unroll the pie crust on a work surface. cut the pie crusts into 32 circles using a 2 1/2" fluted cookie cutter.
• 4 spread about two teaspoons of the cream cheese mixture over half the pastry circles, leaving a void about 1/4" from the edges.
• 5 top the cream cheese with 8-10 mini chocolate chips.
• 6 top each pastry circle with another pastry circle. crimp the edges with a fork.
• 7 brush beaten egg over the pastries. sprinkle each pastry with a bit of sugar.
• 8 bake for 20-25 minutes or until the pastries are a light golden brown.
• 9 remove pastries from the baking sheet and place on a cooling rack. cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.