How To Make Choux Cream Recipes

CHOUX A LA CREME

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To make the choux, place the water, butter and salt in a saucepan, and bring the mixture to the boil over high heat. Immediately remove from the heat, and add the flour in one stroke. Mix in the flour with a sturdy wooden spatula, and return the pan to the stove over medium heat to high heat, stirring until the mixture comes up the sides of the pan and is almost the texture of modeling clay. Cook for about 20 to 30 seconds, still stirring, to dry the mixture further. Remove from the heat and transfer to the bowl of a food processor. Process for 4 to 5 seconds to cool the mixture slightly.
• In a bowl, beat the eggs with a fork until well mixed. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the beaten eggs to brush on the choux later, and add a third of the remaining egg mixture to the food processor bowl. Process for 5 to 6 seconds, just long enough to incorporate the eggs into the flour mixture. Repeat with the remainder of the eggs, adding and incorporating half of them at a time. After the final addition, process the mixture for about 10 seconds, until very smooth.
• Lightly butter a cookie sheet. Spoon 6 rounds of the dough, each about the size of a golf ball (approximately 3 tablespoons), onto the sheet, spacing them evenly to allow for expansion. Brush with the reserved tablespoon of beaten egg to smooth the tops and coat the surface of the balls.
• Place the cookie sheet in the oven for about 40 minutes, until the choux are nicely developed, lightly browned, and cooked through. Set aside in a draft-free spot on top of the stove.
• To make the filling, place the cream, confectioner's sugar, and vanilla in a bowl, and whip until firm. Set aside.
• The dessert can be completed a few hours before serving. Remove and reserve the top of each choux puff, cutting around each about a quarter of the way down and lifting off the resulting "cap." Remove and discard some of the soft insides, or press this soft membrane against the walls of the choux. Spoon 2 teaspoons of the blackberry preserves into the base of each choux.
• Spoon the reserved cream mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip, and pipe it into the choux. Replace the "caps," and sprinkle with the reserved teaspoon of confectioners' sugar.
• To make the chocolate sauce, heat the chocolate and milk in a saucepan over low to medium heat just until the chocolate melts. Mix well with a whisk, transfer to a bowl, and allow to cool off in the refrigerator, stirring occasionally.
• Arrange a choux on each of 6 individual dessert plates. Serve with the chocolate sauce.

PATE A CHOUX DOUGH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In 2 quart pot, combine the butter and water. On a piece of wax or parchment paper, sift together the flour, salt and sugar. Bring the water and butter to a rolling boil, remove from heat and dump the flour mixture in all at once. Stir with a wooden spoon or paddle to incorporate.
• Return the saucepot to high heat and cook, stirring, for about one minute. The mixture will form a ball and coat the pan with a thin film.
• Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl or standing mixer equipped with the paddle attachment. Mix the dough for a minute or so, on low speed, to release some of the heat. Add the eggs, one at a time, completely incorporating each one before adding the next. Beat until the dough gets thick and ribbony.
• Fit a pastry bag with a round #5 tip and fill with the warm dough. Line a heavy cookie sheet with parchment paper and anchor it to the tray with a little dab of the dough at each corner. Pipe about forty to forty five 1 1/2-inch mounds about 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden and puffed. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for another 10 minutes or until they are golden brown and there are no droplets of moisture in the crevices. Turn off oven and leave the choux to dry for another 10 minutes. Use when cool, or freeze, wrapped in a plastic bag, for 2-3 months.

PATE A CHOUX (CREAM PUFF PASTRY)

Steps:

• Place a bowl on your mixer and fit the paddle attachment to it.
• Put your eggs next to the mixer.
• Mix the milk, water, butter, sugar and salt in a 2-quart saucepan.
• Bring to a full boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.
• Stirring constantly, add the flour all at once, and stir quickly and without stopping until the flour is thoroughly incorporated.
• Then continue to cook and stir for another 45 seconds, or until the dough comes into a ball and a light film of paste coats the bottom of the pan.
• Immediately scrape the dough into the bowl of your mixer, and turn the mixer on low speed.
• Let it mix for a minute or two - the first few turns of the paddle will put up a cloud of steam.
• That's fine.
• Just let it mix until no more steam is coming off the dough.
• Then add the first egg, letting it mix in fully before adding the next one.
• Keep the mixer on low speed - you don't want to incorporate too much air into the paste.
• Scrape down the bowl every 2nd egg just to make sure everything is mixing together.
• Before adding the 6th egg, stop the mixer and check the consistency of the dough.
• You will know it is perfect if, when you lift the paddle, it pulls the dough with it, then the dough breaks away and forms a peak that slowly bends down.
• If the dough is too thick and doesn't form that peak, add the last egg.
• The dough is now ready to be used to make éclairs, cream puffs, profiteroles, or any other recipe calling for choux paste.
• It should be used immediately.
• NOTES FOR MAKING CHOUX PASTE SUCCESSFULLY: The liquid must be heated to a full boil.
• Add the flour all at once and stir madly until every last speck of flour is incorporated, then keep cooking and stirring some more - it's this last bit of cooking that will take the raw taste out of the flour; you'll know you are ready to quit when the dough forms a ball around your wooden spoon and the bottom of the pan is covered with a light film of paste.
• Stop mixing when you still have one egg left to add and inspect the dough.
• Depending on the condition of the flour, the room, or the moods of the pastry gods, the dough may or may not need the last egg.
• The dough is finished when you lift the paddle and it pulls up some dough that then detaches and forms a slowly bending peak - if you don't get a peak, add another egg.
• And relax.
• Even if you can't decide what to do, add the egg - you will still get a good puff.
• Use the paste while it is warm.
• It cannot be kept.
• Unfilled puffs or éclairs can be well wrapped and frozen for a few weeks.

CLASSIC CREAM PUFFS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine butter, sugar, salt and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil and quickly stir in the flour with a wooden spoon. Continue to stir until a film forms on the bottom of the pan.
• Remove from heat and transfer contents to a bowl to cool slightly, about 3 minutes. Add 4 eggs, one at a time, stirring vigorously to entirely incorporate egg after each addition.
• For the egg wash, whisk together the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon water. Set aside.
• Transfer the pate a choux to a large pastry bag fitted with a 5/8-inch plain tip. Pipe 1-1/2-inch rounds onto each prepared pan. Gently smooth the pointed peaks with a moistened finger, rounding tops to ensure even rising. Brush tops with reserved egg wash. Bake until puffs rise and are golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks. Puffs can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 day.
• Transfer pastry cream to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/8-inch plain round tip. Insert the tip into the opening of each pastry, and pipe to fill with pastry cream. Serve immediately.