♥ Choux à la Crème (aka Cream Puff) ♥

Choux pastry is a classic french pastry used to make profiteroles, eclairs, or croquembouches. Neither of these I am making today. The combination of choux pastry with a custard-like pastry cream has became my cream puffs instead. They are light, airy and sweetened with a dash of snowy sugar. When refrigerated, that are just another vanilla ice cream puffs. 

These mini puffs can be made ahead of time. The unfilled choux pastry can be kept in air-tight container in the freezer for a month and once defrosted, bake in oven at 180C for 5-7 minutes and fill with your favourite filling, or preferably my pastry cream. Once filled, they should be eaten within 3 days and stored in fridge. Notice that the longer you keep them, they will begin to soften.

This post is part of the monthly link up party Our Growing Edge. This event aims to connect food bloggers and inspire us to try new things. This month is hosted by Lindsey at Sneaks & Sweets.

This post is also linked to the event, Little Thumbs up organised by Doreen from my little favourite DIY and Bake for Happy Kids, hosted by Diana from Domestic Goddess Wannabe at this post.

Make 12
You'll need:

For choux pastry
100ml water
60g unsalted butter
1/4 tsp salt
60g all purpose flour
3 eggs, beaten

For pastry cream
1 1/4 cup full fat whole milk
3 egg yolks
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp corn flour / cornstarch
2 tbsp cake flour / AP flour
vanilla extract

100ml heavy cream
1/2 tbsp sugar

Powdered sugar, for dusting

How to make cream puffs:

1. Preheat oven to 200C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a large saucepan, bring water and butter to heat until butter is melted. Add salt and cake flour. Stir, using a wooden spoon, until a smooth dough formed. Remove the pot from heat.
3. Gradually add beaten egg, constantly stirring to incorporate the beaten egg into the dough. When a smooth thick paste is formed, spoon the dough into a pastry bag.
4. Pipe 12 small mounds of dough onto prepared baking sheet spacing apart. With a damp finger, shape the tops of dough smooth. 
5. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, then turn the oven temperature down to 180C, and bake for another 10-15 minutes, until puffed up and golden brown. Turn the oven off, poke holes in each puff and leave oven door slightly ajar. Let them sit to cool completely.

How to make pastry cream:

1. In a medium bowl, mix sugar and egg yolks. Sift in corn flour and cake flour into the egg mixture. Mix until a smooth paste formed.
2. Meanwhile, heat milk in a saucepan. Remove from heat and slowly add to egg mixture, while constantly whisking the egg to prevent curdling.
3. Strain mixture through a sieve and return into the saucepan. Over medium heat, bring mixture to boil and whisk mixture constantly until it starts to thicken.
4. Immediately remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
5. Pour into a clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap touching the surface of custard. Refrigerate until needed.

To assemble choux à la crème:

1. Whip together heavy cream and sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold into pastry cream.
2. Slice choux pastry half way through the middle. Transfer pastry cream to a pastry bag. Pipe into the hollow pastry. Dust with powdered sugar and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

With all my love <3

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