Raspberry & Vanilla Choux Puffs
Quintessentially French, the choux puff can be filled with luscious pastry cream, ice cream or whipped cream. Adding freeze-dried fruit powder to the icing sugar adds a nice tang to balance out the richness of the filling.
CHOUX PUFFS
1 cup cold water
80g butter, cubed
1 cup plain flour
3 small eggs, lightly beaten
VANILLA PASTRY CREAM
500ml full cream milk 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste 4 egg yolks
3 tablespoons caster sugar ¼ cup cornflour
50g butter, softened
TO ASSEMBLE
150ml cream, whipped
Raspberry jam
¼ cup icing sugar
2 tablespoons freeze-dried raspberry powder
Choux puffs: Place the water and butter in a saucepan and heat until the butter melts. Bring quickly to the boil then shoot in all the flour at once. Remove pan from the heat; beat mixture with a wooden spoon to bring together into a smooth dough. Return the pan to a low heat and keep beating for 1-2 minutes until the dough comes away cleanly from the sides of the pan. Transfer the dough to a bowl (or stand mixer bowl) and leave to cool for 5 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Line 2 baking trays with non-stick baking paper.
Add the eggs to the dough, a little at a time, and use an electric mixer to beat well between additions – the mixture should be glossy and soft but stiff enough to hold its shape.
Pipe or spoon 20 mounds onto the prepared baking trays, leaving space between for the puffs to rise.
Bake for 15 minutes until puffed then reduce the oven temperature to 180°C and cook for 20-25 minutes more, or until crisp and dry. Remove to cool on a wire rack.
Pastry cream: Place the milk and vanilla in a small pot set over a medium heat and bring just to the boil. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour.
Strain the hot milk over the yolk mixture while whisking continuously, then transfer the mixture back to the pot. Cook over a medium-low heat for 7-9 minutes, whisking continuously until the mixture thickens.
Boil gently while whisking for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter until fully combined.
Transfer to a bowl and cover with cling film that directly touches the surface, to prevent a skin forming. Cool completely in the fridge.
To assemble: Slice each choux puff in half. Put the pastry cream in a piping bag with a wide plain nozzle and the cream in a piping bag with a star nozzle. Fill each puff base with the pastry cream, hide a teaspoonful of jam in the centre, pipe some cream on top then replace the lids. Dust with icing sugar mixed with fruit powder and serve. Serves 6