The After School Sandwich French Children Look Forward To
No matter where your kids go to school or what time they get out, chances are they're going to be starving by the time they get done. They start the day early, and lunch is usually served around 11:00 a.m., so by the time 3:00 or 4:00 p.m. rolls around most kids are ready for some sort of small meal. In the U.S., we tend to fill the fridge and freezer with savory, pre-packaged snacks like Hot Pockets and Bagel Bites, but in France, they err on the sweet side with a meal they call "goûter." And their snack of choice? A simple piece of fresh baguette spread with salted butter and a few squares of chocolate squished inside.
Directly translated, the word goûter means "to taste," but it's also used to describe a small meal for kids when they get out of school to tie them over until dinner. Some parents offer children a pain au chocolat (chocolate croissant) or a slice of bread with jam or chocolate hazelnut spread, but a simple sandwich made with chocolate and butter is ideal for eating on the go if you're heading from school to soccer practice, for instance. It also takes almost zero prep for parents, and the salty-but-sweet combination is irresistible for kids of any age.
Make a chocolate baguette
There's really no official recipe for a chocolate baguette sandwich, probably because it's so simple to make. All you need is a fresh baguette, salted butter, and some thin, flat squares of good-quality chocolate. Simply slice the bread in half, smear softened butter on both sides of the bread, and then place the chocolate pieces in the center. That's all there is to it!
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Although the combination of good bread and chocolate is pretty simple, there are a few common mistakes to avoid. First, don't be tempted to use sliced sandwich bread. You need the crusty baguette texture so that the sandwich is substantial enough to stand up to the unmelted chocolate squares. If you're worried about a whole loaf going stale before you can eat it, just make sure to store it in an airtight container. Second, don't use unsalted butter. While unsalted butter is good for baking, you need that extra savoriness to balance out the sweetness of the chocolate. "As a general rule of thumb, use unsalted butter when baking and salted butter when cooking, creating sauces, or for spreading," pro pastry chef Michelle Palazzo told Food Republic.
Even if you don't have kids, this sandwich is the perfect afternoon pick-me-up. If you're on the go, pop one in a plastic sandwich bag for easy transport, or, wrap it up with a piece of parchment or wax paper for a more authentic Parisian street-food vibe.