Cream Puffs/ Profiterole

It has been a long road of trials and errors for me to finally achieve perfection to make these babies. It more of a science to make these but I promise that if you follow my recipe  you will get the most perfect pastry.

Makes: 20+

For Choux Pastry:

Ingredients:

• 120 gm butter, room temperature
• 150 gm flour
• 250 ml water
• a pinch of salt
• 4-5 eggs

METHOD:

1. Grease a baking tray, keep aside.
2. Pre-heat the oven on 200°C or 392 °F.
3. Place a saucepan on the stove on medium heat.
4. Add the butter,water and salt. let it come to a boil. If we cook this a lot this might change the consistency of the dough. Turn the stove off immediately once it boils.
5. Add flour and using a wooden spatula mix the flour mixture until it forms a smooth ball. The dough should be lukewarm.
6. Start adding the eggs, using a beater, beat one at a time. Add 4 eggs first. This is an important step because you do not want the dough o be too runny or too thick, it should be smooth & shiny-paste like. Add the 5th egg only if you think the dough needs it. If the dough it is too runny the puffs will spread on the baking tray and if its too hard they won’t cook on the inside when you bake them.
7. Shaping the mounds of dough is easiest to do with a pastry bag, although you can use two spoons or a spring-loaded ice cream scoop. Place them a bit further apart on the tray as they will puff once baked.
8. Bake for 30-35 minutes.The pastry is baked on high temperature first and then the temperature is lowered. The high temperature is needed so the dough will rise quickly leaving a hollow center, it sets the structure of the shells.
9. Turn the stove off after 35 minutes. Do not take the pastries out, leave them in the oven for 20 more minutes. I turn the oven off because as the oven cools and the temps go lower it allows the shells to become firm and crisp on the outside and dries out the center of the shells at the same time.
10. Take the pastries out and poke a few holes in each puff  then cool completely. Do not worry if the shells have just a little bit of moist dough inside the shells, this can be removed before filling the shells.

I use a spoon , for some reason I find it easier

Right before these go into the oven

For the Cream Filling:

Ingredients:

• 1200 ml cream
• 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar

Method:

1. In a large mixing bowl, place the cream and sugar and beat until soft peaks form.

To assemble:

1. Using  sharp knife or tool of your preference, make a hole on top of each pastry shell.
2. Fill up the shells with the whipped cream with an icing bag.
3. Top it off or drizzle with chocolate ganache or sprinkle with powdered sugar.
4. Serve chilled.

Tips:

• The cream puffs are best eaten the same day they’re made.
• Once cooled, they can be frozen in an air tight container for up to one month.
• You can make the puffs (through step 9) up to 12 hours ahead
• Defrost at room temperature, then place puffs slightly apart on a 12- by 15-inch baking sheet.
• Bake in a 200°C or 392°F oven until crisp, 5 to 8 minutes.

Aa jao “Cream puffs” tayyar hain !!