Dessert Week!

I've spent the last week eating way more desserts than anyone should eat.  Lots of celebrations I suppose.  Last night a friend stopped by to show me how to make cream puffs.  They turned out pretty good - the filling was the best!

Cream Puffs

First make pastry cream so it can cool in the refrigerator.  Next make choux pastry so the shells can cool on a wire rack.  Then make the whipped cream so you can lighten the pastry cream and fill the shells.  Finally melt some chocolate to top the sweet treats.

1. Vanilla Pastry Cream

2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
5 egg yolks
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt

Pour milk in a saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until tiny bubbles form, 180 degrees (do not boil).  Meanwhile in a separate bowl, whisk 1/2 cup sugar, yolks, and cornstarch.  When milk reaches temperature, slowly add the milk to the eggs while whisking constantly to temper the egg mixture.  Return the mixture to the pan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes until mixture comes to a boil and thickens.  Pour the hot mixture into a bowl and mix in vanilla and salt.  Rub top of mixture with butter and then place plastic wrap directly on top to eliminate any skin from forming.  Place bowl in refrigerator to cool while making the pastry dough.

2. Choux Dough

5 oz. flour (1 cup)
pinch of salt
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
5 eggs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  Have food processor ready.

Whisk flour and salt in small bowl to remove any lumps.

Place butter and water in saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until butter is melted.  Pour flour mixture in, all at once, and stir over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes, until mixture is smooth and dough pulls away from pan.

Transfer dough to food processor and let cool for 5 minutes.

Add all the eggs to a bowl then dump the eggs, all at once, into the food processor and pulse until the mixture is smooth and eggs are fully incorporated.  Transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with a large tip and pipe small mounds, about 1 1/2" wide and 1/2" tall, onto parchment lined pans.  Wet your finger and press down the pointy tops.

Bake 22-25 minutes, until golden brown.  Remove from oven and quickly use a sharp tipped knife to cut holes in the top to allow steam to escape.  Move puffs to a wire rack and let cool completely before filling.

3. Whipped Cream

2 Tbs sugar
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup chocolate chips

In a cold bowl with an electric mixer, whip cream and sugar until soft peaks form.

Remove chilled pastry cream from refrigerator.  Gently fold in the whipped cream to create a lightened pastry cream.  Fit a pastry bag with a small tip and fill with cream.  Pipe cream into pastry but do not overfill.  (Alternately cut the puffs in half and fill center with cream filling).  Melt chocolate chips according to package directions.  Pour melted chocolate into a pastry bag with a small tip cut out and drizzle chocolate over the top of the cream puffs.

Cream puffs are best eaten fresh.  Enjoy!