Cream puffs

Cream Puffs aka Profiterole

I have a long-standing fear of choux pastry but today I conquered that fear, alhamdulillah. My cream puffs turned out beautifully, puffy and light and when I cut through the baked shell, there is an actual crater ready to receive the custard filling.

There are many variations of this popular dessert, especially when it comes to the filling. One can fill these puffs with Chantilly cream, vanilla custard of plain vanilla ice-cream.

Recipe for choux pastry:

1 cup water

1 cup flour

1/2 cup butter (115g) 

1/4 tsp salt

4 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
2. In a large pot, bring water and butter to a rolling boil. Stir in flour and salt until the mixture forms a ball. Transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon or stand mixer, beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet.
3. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. Centers should be dry.
4. When the shells are cool, either split and fill them with the pudding mixture, or use a pastry bag to pipe the pudding into the shells.

Filling:

If you are pressed for time just use any instant pudding mix or vanilla ice cream. For today's recipe we will try the chantilly cream

300ml heavy cream
1/2 cup natvia or 100 g icing sugar
1 vanilla bean
Whip in a mixing bowl and use a piping bag to pipe into the shells.

For the Chocolate Sauce

1. 1 tablespoon butter
2. 1/2 pound semisweet chocolate, cut in chunks 
3. 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4. 2 tbsp honey
5. 1/2 cup skim milk

Combine the milk and butter in a small heavy bottomed sauced pan over medium heat. Heat the mixture until bubbles appear around the sides of the pot, but do not allow the milk to boil.  Mix in the chocolate and vanilla; remove from the heat and stir until the chocolate melts and the sauce is smooth and add honey. 

Drizzle on your cream puffs and serve. Alternatively you can use icing sugar to drizzle on the puffs.