Puffs (profiteroles)

I made choux pastry again but in puff form today!  They are called profiteroles.  I love these! I am so addicted to them!  This time I covered the top of the buns with chocolate!  I <3 french desserts.   I love it with custard cream filling.  Mmmmmm

Choux Pastry with Custard Cream Filling

Choux pastry is so easy to make than puff pastry!  A million times easier!   Choux pastry is a basic French bun that is used to make with eclairs, profiteroles or croquembouche.  The pastry rises three times its size in the oven which creates this airy, light and crisp texture.    All you need is some basic ingredients that you can find in your pantry and fridge and its just beating the mixture up and then filling it into a piping bag and piping it out onto trays into whatever shapes you like.   Then see it rise from a small ball to 3 times the size!

I had a hard time piping the pastry dough onto the tray because I did not have a proper piping bag!  I instead used a sheet of baking paper and made it into a piping bag and cut the tip to about 1cm.   It worked but then I had to use too much baking paper so I just dropped teaspoons of balls.   This recipe makes about 10 -15 eclair shapes or balls.  Depending how much you put into the shapes.  I attempted to do eclair shapes but I instead did big buns.

Filling the pastry was the best part.  Every single bun was gone in 15 minutes!

You will need:

CHOUX PASTRY


75g of butter
180mls of water
3/4 of plain flour sifted
pinch of salt
4 eggs


CUSTARD CREAM

2tbs of custard powder
2tbs of caster sugar
1 cup of milk
300ml of thickened cream

icing sugar for dusting


Choux pastry.
Preheat over to 240C

In a saucepan, combine butter and water and cook until the butter has melted.  Don't boil.   

Immediately add the sifted flour and salt and stir vigorously until you see a smooth dough ball form.  Take off heat immediately.

Transfer into a small bowl and add 3 eggs (one at a time) and beat with mixer til smooth.  Add the last egg and this will form a nice glossy thick dough  (should be a very very very thick consistency).

Use a piping bag with a 1cm nozzle and pipe small mounds on the tray or just use 2 table spoons to shape large buns.

Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or another 5 to 10 minutes if you have bigger buns.   When cooked make a hole in each bun to release any steam.  Cause once cooled the buns will go soggy so you need steam to escape.

Cool and set aside.

Next.....

Custard Cream Filling.

Combine the custard powder and sugar into a small saucepan and add the milk on low heat.  Whisk til it goes thick.

Add the mixture into a small bowl.

Cover with plastic wrap to prevent skining.

Refrigerate for half an hour or til cool.

Then in the same bowl add the thickened cream and with a mixer, mix til it goes thick and forms peaks.

Now for the yummy part!

To serve the buns, cut in halfway and then just before serving spoon the custard cream filling and dust with icing sugar!

Choclate Cream Puffs

Hi guys! I have been away for a while!  I have been working on this huge project so I haven't had time to really cook something special until yesterday!

I love love love pastry desserts and especially these cream puffs!  They are so yummy you could finish a whole batch under 30 minutes!  You can buy these at bakeries for around $2.50 each depending on the size but I decided to make these at home.  It did take a while but the effort was pretty worth it!

I got this recipe from http://www.tasteofhome.com and it turned out great.  I did not use strawberries since I did not have any on hand but without it tastes as good too.  I am wondering if I should put custard in the puffs next time?

For the puffs I did not cut it in half and put the cream in that way.  I just inserted the cream into the puff balls instead with cream.  Turned out messy though :P.


You will need:

Chocolate Cream Puffs

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons baking cocoa
• 4 eggs
• 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
  
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream, whipped
• 3 cups coarsely chopped fresh strawberries

 

Directions

• In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, bring water, butter and salt to a boil. Add the flour and cocoa all at once; stir until a smooth ball forms. Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat until smooth and shiny.
• Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls 3 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 400° for 30-35 minutes or until set and browned. Remove to wire racks. Immediately split puffs open; remove and discard soft dough from inside. Cool puffs completely.
• In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Fold in whipped cream and strawberries. Fill bottom halves of puffs; replace tops. Serve immediately. 

Yield: 15 servings.

Rice Bubble Slice

Rice Bubble Slice is my favourite childhood treat that can be made with variation.  You can add choc chips, mm's, coconut, honey and add butter or copha to hold the slice together.  Mmmm fatty goodness!

I got this recipe from Kellog's website.  You can make your own variations as mentioned.  You can make 24 little crackle cup cakes or into slices like I did.

RICE BUBBLE SLICE

To make you will need:

Ingredients

• 4 cups Kellogg’s® Rice Bubbles® (or any rice puff brand)
• 1 1/2 cups icing sugar, sifted
• 3 tablespoons cocoa (optional)
• 1 cup desiccated coconut
• 250g copha^TM*

Method

1. Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
2. Melt copha gently.
3. Cool slightly
4. Pour into dry ingredients and mix well.
5. Spoon into paper patty cases or line them into a square cake pan.
6. Chill until set or cut into slices.