Friday, July 9, 2010

Cream Puffs Yo!


SO how is everyones Friday going? Mines aight, I'm cooking up some vegtastic egg rolls that are going to be phenomenal. But we are not here to talk about that, no my friends we are here to talk about a very serious thing.....team Jacob or team Edward? I'm actually team Charlie but you know thats just me....wait what? OH! You wanted to hear about cream puffs I gotcha, my bad.

A brief history of Cream Puffs with the knowledge in my head and the odd language I use: The CP is made with a pastry called Pate a Choux which in French means "little cabbage" this being because they kinda look like cabbages when done correctly! Slap a smile on those puppies and sell them to children and call them dolls! SO anyways the first estimated time Pate a Choux was known to have been made dates back to 1538 give or take some years. They are known to be used more savory back old school days being not very sweet at all. Although they are just fat éclairs they tend to get more attention, I haven't a clue why but yes even here locally The Big-E giant cream puff has garnered national attention being known as "the best" well haha I think I may have stumbled upon a gem of a cream puff today.

I am not a cream puff or éclair fan, I didn't like the pastry ir was flavorless and not pleasing texture wise on the palette, and that god awful fake chocolate glaze that most places use to cover it was so gross! I gave up on them years ago...until now! I found a formula that needs no tweaking and yeilds an amazing thing!! It has flavor, it's a hardier shell that stands up better to fillings and baked so good in a larger size! I know I am a food nerd and get excited about the silliest thing but this was magical. The aroma that filled the kitchen was not one I was used to when baking Pate a Choux, it made me salivate:) A sure way of knowing I made something awesome, Mark(Boss man) ate one, unfilled, he never eats baked goods! I know odd him being a pastry chef and all. The pastry cream I made was a chocolate and then I turned it into a diplomat just to lighten it up because the cream puff was so gargantuan.

Enough making you wait I shall now bestow upon your eye sockets a thing of beauty!

Amazing Choux Paste

1/2 Cup AP Flour
1/2t. Sugar
1/4t salt
4T Unsalted Butter
1/2C Water
2 eggs

1 Egg
1/8t Salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit

Sift together the flour, salt, sugar set aside

Mix one egg and salt set aside

In a sturdy metal pot bring the butter and water to a boil for faux emulsion, as soon as a boil is reached dump in flour mixture then stir quickly with a wooden spoon until a ball of dough forms and pulls away from pot. Transfer to mixing bowl and beat until warm not hot. When it reaches a more manageable temp add eggs one at a time and mix until dough comes together. Scoop of pipe any size, they bake well in muffin pans, brush with egg wash then bake for 15 minutes then turn oven down 350 and bake another 30-40 minutes. They will be golden brown and have no shininess.

So simple and awesome! Now you can fill them any which way you please but I'll give my chocolate pastry cream formula.

Chocolate Pastry Cream awesomeness!

16oz Milk
2oz Sugar

2 Yolks
1 Egg
1.25oz Corn Starch
2oz Sugar

1oz Butter
2t Vanilla
2oz chopped chocolate


In a heavy saucepan heat milk and sugar to just a boil

Whip eggs then sift in corn starch and sugar

Temper egg mixture by slowly beating in hot milk mix

return mix to saucepan and stir constantly until it boils and thickens, remove from heat

stir in butter, chocolate and vanilla pour into clean pan cover with plastic wrap make sure it touches the cream to prevent a skin from forming. put in fridge and cool.

for diplomat whip up 2 cups of whipping cream slightly sweeten then fold into cooled mixture.

Fill your puffs and viola!

I most certainly hope you enjoy these if you make them and I'm going to eat my rolls of the egg because they are done and delicious!!

Peace out

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