“Dinner consisted of a ham and cheese slider I grabbed on my way through the buffet. I wouldn’t mind taste-testing for you,” Millie hinted.
“Two expert tasters are better than one.” Amit promised to meet them in the bakery while the friends began the arduous climb to the upper deck.
As a general rule Millie avoided elevators, easily reaching the upper deck without breaking a sweat. To her surprise, she found Annette was also barely winded.
“I’m impressed.”
“By what?” Annette reached for the railing.
“You climbed those stairs like a champ.”
“I’ve been making a point of avoiding the elevators seeing how they’re always crowded. I find the stairs easier to navigate. The exercise is an added bonus.”
“Good for you.”
Strolling along the corridor, they reached the galley and veered right toward the bakery section.
Amit stood at the counter alongside two members of his team. Half of the prep counter was filled with rolled pastry while an array of stainless steel mixing bowls lined the other. The tantalizing aroma of melted chocolate filled the air. A tray of golden-brown, fresh-from-the-oven croissants sat cooling in nearby trays.
“Look at those yummy croissants.” Annette leaned in for a closer inspection. “You nailed the golden-brown part.”
“I have finally figured out the exact temperature and baking time for them to reach golden goodness. As I said, I have perfected the chocolate croissant.”
“I’m curious,” Millie said. “You mentioned how easy they were to make.”
Amit lifted his fingers. “There are only three ingredients—pastry, chocolate, and eggs, plus powdered sugar if you want a pinch more sweetness. I will show you.”
He walked to the opposite end of the counter. “The first step is to thaw the pastry dough. When it is thawed, gently roll it out. You’ll also need to break up chunks of semisweet chocolate.”
“I bet the hardest part is figuring out exactly where to place the chunks of chocolate,” Annette said.
“You are correct.” After arranging the pieces, he rolled the dough over the top. He repeated the steps, strategically adding the chocolate and rolling the dough until forming a flawless croissant. He finished by tucking in the ends and placing the ready-to-bake pastry on an empty baking sheet.
“Where does the egg come in?” Millie asked.
“At the end. Once the tray is full, I whisk water and an egg and brush it over the top.”
Annette licked her lips. “Now for my favorite part. Sampling the finished product.”
Amit grabbed a clean plate and eased a golden croissant on top before handing it to her. He passed another croissant to Millie before taking one for himself. “Bon appétit.”
Millie lifted her croissant. “Bon appétit.” She nibbled the corner, savoring the flaky croissant filled with a generous amount of rich chocolate.
Balancing the plate in one hand, she took another bite, digging into the sweet treat. The gooey chocolate, mingled with the buttery croissant, melted in her mouth. “Oh my goodness,” she groaned. “Chocolate croissant…where have you been all my life?”
“It is very good,” Amit said.
“The best.” Millie gobbled the rest of her treat. “You knocked this one out of the park. Do you mind if I take one home for Nic? I bet he would love these.”
Amit promptly placed two more on a plate and covered them with plastic wrap. “What do you think happened to the boat in distress?”
“I don’t know. Either they fixed the issue and took off, lost signal and floated out of range or…”
“Sank.” Annette finished Millie’s sentence. “Hopefully they resolved the issue and are on their way to port.”
Millie’s scheduler app chimed. “I need to get back to work. Thanks for the delicious treat, Amit. You have a hit on your hands.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” Annette said. “I’m proud of you for enthusiastically embracing your new job and running with it.”
