Following is one of the the recipes from our recent dessert class at WKCTC. Our focus was on the use of Pate Au Choux. This is a really versitile pastry dough used to make cream puffs, or Eclairs. I'll be posting more in the days to come.
Boston Cream Puffs or Eclairs
Pate Au Choux
· 1 cup Water
· 1 cup Flour
· 1 teaspoon sugar
· ½ teaspoon Salt
· ½ cup butter
· 4 Eggs
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 - 375 F. Place the cold water, salt, sugar, and butter into a pan and set over high heat. Bring to a rolling boil. Turn down the heat to medium and stir in the flour, beat vigorously with a wooden spoon. As soon as the mixture starts to come away from the side of the pan and forms a firm ball, stop beating and place into a mixing bowl. Let cool for a few minutes.
2. With a paddle beater and mixer on low, beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each addition, until you have a smooth paste.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spoon the choux pastry into a piping bag fitted with a large plain nozzle. Pipe about 18 walnut-sized balls and 18 fingers onto the baking sheet, spaced well apart. Egg wash the pastries Level the peaked tops of the puffs with a fork dipped into the egg was and drag it over the fingers. Bake for 18-20 minutes until well risen and golden brown.
4. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before cutting and filling.
Boston cream Filling
Ingredients: * Recipe has been doubled for other applications
· 2/3 cup white sugar
· 4 tablespoons cornstarch
· 1/4 teaspoon salt
· 3 cups milk
· 4 egg yolks
· 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions:
In a 2 quart saucepan, mix sugar, the cornstarch and salt. Stir in the milk gradually and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir at least 1/2 of the mixture slowly into the egg yolks. Return egg yolk mixture to the saucepan and boil and stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Let cool to room temperature
Chocolate Glaze
*Recipe has been doubled for other applications
Ingredients:
· 4(1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
· 6 tablespoons butter
· 2 cup confectioners' sugar
· 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
· 4 tablespoons hot water
Directions:
Heat the chocolate and butter or margarine over low heat until melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the confectioners' sugar, and vanilla. Stir in the water, one teaspoon at a time, until glaze is of desired consistency.
· **For a yummy Boston Cream Pie follow the cream and glaze recipes but cut them in half. Below is a recipe for the sponge cake that you can make sometime.
· 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
· 1 cup sugar
· 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
· 1/2 teaspoon salt
· 3/4 cup milk
· 1/3 cup shortening
· 1 egg
· 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour one 9 inch round cake pan.
Beat the flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, salt, 3/4 cup milk, shortening, 1 egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla at low speed, scraping bowl constantly for 30 seconds. Beat on high speed, scraping bowl occasionally for 3 minutes. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 to 35 minutes or until done. Remove from the pan and let cool on a wire rack. Carefully split cake in half evenly, fill with the cream and top layer and spread the glaze.
