Crème Pâtissière & Pâte à Choux

Been wondering what else I can do with flour, eggs, butter and milk. Read somewhere online that pastries and whoopie pies are the next best things after cupcakes and macarons. though I'm not really sure I agree. I don't really fancy the sound of whoopie pies...but I don't know, maybe I will make them someday, on the other hand, pastry puffs...eclairs...yumm!

What I really wanted was to make a croquembouche, it was kind of ambitious for me...I have never made pastries before. Then again I remember how tiring it is to make caramel. I don't have much patience stirring water and sugar for ages, it's always a hit and miss for me...I know! Some people say it's easy, then I will leave it to them. I have to be in the right mood to make caramel.

And so I decided to make pâte à choux...baby steps.

This was my first attempt at making pastry cream and puffs and they're pretty good if I say so myself.

CREME PATISSIERE

Make cream in advance as it needs to chill for at least a couple of hours or overnight before using it to fill pastries.

Ingredients:

2 cups half-and-half

1/2 cup sugar

pink of salt

5 large egg yolks (preferably pasteurized)

3 tablespoons cornstarch

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Heat the half-and-half, 6 tablespoons of sugar and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat until simmering, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.

2. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined.

Whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and whisk until the sugar has begun to dissolve and the mixture is creamy, about 15 seconds.

Whisk in the cornstarch until combined and the mixture is pale yellow and thick, about 20 seconds.

3. When the half-and-half mixture reaches a full simmer, gradually whisk the simmering half-and-half into the yolk mixture to temper.

Return the mixture to the saucepan, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula; return to a simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly, until few bubbles burst on the surface and the mixture is thickened and glossy, about 30 seconds.

Off the heat, whisk in the butter and vanilla.

Strain the pastry cream through a fine mesh sieve set over a medium bowl.

Note on straining: This is key step because it will ensure that your finished pastry cream will be silky smooth with no lumps or bumps.

Press plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate until cold and set, at least 3 hours or up to 2 days.

Recipe from Brown Eyed Baker

PATE A CHOUX

Makes about 24 puffs

Ingredients:

1/2 cup whole milk

1/2 cup water

4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1 cup all purpose flour

5 large eggs

1 large egg yolk

1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.

2. Make the puffs: Bring milk, water, butter and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. 

Remove from heat and whisk in flour. Return to heat and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until mixture pulls away from sides of pan, about 4 minutes.

Transfer to the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed to cool slightly, about 1 minute. With machine running, add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Transfer dough to a pastry bag.

3. For the egg wash, whisk together yolk and heavy cream in a bowl.

4. Pipe about 1 inch puffs onto each prepared sheet. Gently brush with egg wash. Bake until puffs rise and are golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks. (Puffs can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 day.) 

5. Transfer pastry cream to a pastry bag fitted with 1/4 inch round tip. Insert tip of pastry bag into base of each puff and fill each. (I made a tiny incision on the sides of my puffs, where I wanted to put the filling.)

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart