{"id":4787,"date":"2012-02-14T16:48:48","date_gmt":"2012-02-14T22:48:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.hottie-biscotti.com\/blog\/?p=4787"},"modified":"2012-02-14T16:48:48","modified_gmt":"2012-02-14T22:48:48","slug":"valentines-cream-puffs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hottie-biscotti.com\/blog\/2012\/02\/14\/valentines-cream-puffs\/","title":{"rendered":"Valentine’s Cream Puffs"},"content":{"rendered":"

Happy Valentine’s Day! \u00a0I made these as a last minute Valentine’s dessert. \u00a0And by last minute I mean I thought about doing them last night and made them this morning. \u00a0The great thing is that they turned out! \u00a0Not in the perfect heart shape I was hoping for, but love isn’t perfect. \u00a0So, I’m going to pretend that it was intentional and I meant it as a metaphor for life. \u00a0Love isn’t always perfect, but it is delicious!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

If you haven’t made cream puffs before, you really should try it. \u00a0They aren’t that difficult or time consuming, you can fill them with a variety of tasty things, and they are impressive. \u00a0You can tell people you made p\u00e2te \u00e0\u00a0choux, which sounds fancy and hard, but only because it is French.<\/p>\n

I used a p\u00e2te\u00a0\u00e0\u00a0choux\u00a0recipe from Mastering the Art of French Cooking<\/a><\/em>. \u00a0The recipes in this cookbook are different than most, but once you read through it and see how it’s all laid out, they are actually quite easy to follow. \u00a0I retyped it below in the usual form of ingredients followed by directions. \u00a0Julia uses a side-by-side form that I really do like. \u00a0If you have the book, turn to page 175! \u00a0I had no issues with these puffs. \u00a0I made mine on the larger side, so there is some extra cooking time involved. \u00a0I’ll include directions for little and big puffs below.<\/p>\n

You can use ice cream, whipped cream or pastry cream as a filling for your finished puffs. \u00a0The recipe I used for pastry cream was quite thin, so I couldn’t pipe the filling into the puffs like I’d planned. \u00a0Here is a good pastry cream recipe<\/a>. \u00a0I cut the top off of the puff and spooned the cream into the center and placed the top back on. \u00a0This is an easier and less messy method anyway, so I’m glad I was forced to do it this way. \u00a0For a really simple dessert, just slice the puffs in half and fill with a little scoop of your favorite ice cream, drizzle with chocolate sauce, and you have profiteroles<\/em>. \u00a0Again, fancy sounding but so very simple.<\/p>\n

If you fill these with pastry cream before you plan to serve them, refrigerate the puffs and do not dust with powdered sugar. \u00a0Dust with sugar and drizzle with chocolate right before serving. \u00a0If you’re using ice cream or whipped cream, fill right before serving. \u00a0Enjoy!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Piped Puffs<\/em><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Center of Cooked Puff<\/em><\/div>\n
\u00a0\"\"<\/a><\/div>\n
Baked Puffs<\/em><\/div>\n
All of these hearts are a little different (and some don’t even look like hearts at all!)<\/em><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Filling the Puffs with Pastry Cream<\/em><\/div>\n

P\u00e2te \u00c0\u00a0Choux<\/h3>\n

Ingredients<\/em><\/p>\n

    \n
  • 1 cup water<\/li>\n
  • 6 tablespoons butter<\/li>\n
  • 1 teaspoon sugar<\/li>\n
  • a pinch of salt<\/li>\n
  • 3\/4 cup all purpose flour<\/li>\n
  • 4 eggs<\/li>\n
  • 1 egg beaten with 1\/2 teaspoon of water for glazing the puffs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Directions<\/em><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. In a heavy 1 1\/2 quart saucepan, bring water, butter, sugar and salt to a low boil, stirring, until butter is completely melted.<\/li>\n
    2. Remove from the heat and immediately add all the flour. \u00a0Beat\u00a0vigorously\u00a0with a wooden spoon to blend thoroughly. \u00a0Then beat over moderately high heat for 1 to 2 minutes until mixture pulls from the sides of the pan, forms a mass, and begins to leave a film on the bottom of the pan.<\/li>\n
    3. Remove pan from heat and make a well in the center of the paste with your spoon. \u00a0Break an egg into the center and beat it into the paste for several seconds until it has absorbed. \u00a0Continue with the rest of the eggs, one at a time. \u00a0The third and fourth eggs will be absorbed more slowly. \u00a0Beat for a moment more to be sure it is well blended and smooth.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
      For the hearts (10-12 puffs)<\/div>\n
      \n
        \n
      1. Preheat oven to 425F and set oven racks in upper and lower thirds of the oven.<\/li>\n
      2. Fill a pastry bag (or ziploc) with a 3\/4 inch diameter tip (or cut an opening in your bag) with the choux paste.<\/li>\n
      3. Pipe the outline of a heart onto the pans lined with parchment, then fill in the center. \u00a0Hearts should be about 2 inches in diameter and no more than 3\/4 inch high in the center. \u00a0Space them about 2 inches apart.<\/li>\n
      4. Dip pastry brush in the beaten egg and water, letting the excess drip off. \u00a0Slightly\u00a0flatten\u00a0the top of each puff with the side of your brush. \u00a0Be careful not to let the egg drip down the sides, or the puff will not rise as high.<\/li>\n
      5. Place the baking sheets in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. \u00a0Then, reduce the temperature to 375 and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes. \u00a0Puffs will be golden brown, and firm and crusty to the touch. \u00a0Turn off the oven.<\/li>\n
      6. Remove from the oven and cut a 1-inch slit in the side of each puff. \u00a0Return pans to the oven and let sit for 10 minutes with door ajar.<\/li>\n
      7. Test one puff by opening it and making sure the center is not wet or uncooked. \u00a0If it is, remove the uncooked portion from that and all the other puffs. \u00a0Allow the puffs to cool completely on wire racks.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n

        For small puffs (35-40 puffs):<\/p>\n

          \n
        1. Preheat oven to 425F and set oven racks in upper and lower thirds of the oven.<\/li>\n
        2. Fill pastry bag (or ziploc) with a 1\/2 inch diameter tip (or cut an opening in your bag) with the choux paste.<\/li>\n
        3. Squeeze the paste onto baking sheets lined with parchment, making circular mounds about 1 inch in diameter and 1\/2 inch high, spacing about 2 inches apart.<\/li>\n
        4. Dip pastry brush in the beaten egg and water, letting the excess drip off. \u00a0Slightly\u00a0flatten\u00a0the top of each puff with the side of your brush. \u00a0Be careful not to let the egg drip down the sides, or the puff will not rise as high.<\/li>\n
        5. Bake for 20 minutes until puffs are golden brown, firm and crusty to the touch. \u00a0Remove from the oven, pierce the side of each with a knife. \u00a0Turn off the oven. \u00a0Set back in the oven for 10 minutes with the door ajar. \u00a0Then cool puffs completely on a wire rack.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n