FILLED PATE A CHOUX SWANS - DARING BAKERS CHALLENGE AUGUST 2012

Kat of The Bobwhites was our August 2012 Daring Baker hostess who inspired us to have fun in creating pate a choux shapes, filled with crème patisserie or Chantilly cream. We were encouraged to create swans or any shape we wanted and to go crazy with filling flavors allowing our creativity to go wild! 

You’ll find recipes for vanilla, chocolate and coffee Crème Patisserie from May 2010 Daring bakers challenge, Croquembouche. 

Here is the link for CROQUEMBOUCHE/PIECE MONTEE
 

PATE A CHOUX

Ingredients:

All-purpose flour - 1 cup

Water - 1 cup

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Sugar - 1 tbsp

Eggs - 4 or 5 large (add depending on the consistency of the batter)

Butter - 6 tbsp

 

Method:

Preparing batter:

1. Combine water, butter, salt and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and stir occasionally. At boil, remove from heat and sift in the flour, stirring to combine completely.

2. Return to heat and cook, stirring constantly until the batter dries slightly and begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.

3. Transfer to a bowl and stir with a wooden spoon 1 minute to cool slightly.

4. Add 1 egg. The batter will appear loose and shiny.

5. As you stir, the batter will become dry-looking like lightly buttered mashed potatoes.

6. At this point that you will add in the next egg. Repeat until you have incorporated all the eggs. 

Piping:

1. Using a ¼” (6 mm) tip on a pastry bag, pipe out about 36 swan heads. You’re aiming for something between a numeral 2 and a question mark, with a little beak if you’re skilled and/or lucky.

2. Remove the tip from the bag and pipe out 36 swan bodies. These will be about 1.5” (40 mm) long, and about 1” (25 mm) wide. One end should be a bit narrower than the other.

Baking:

1. Bake the choux at 425◦F/220◦C degrees until well-puffed and turning lightly golden in color, about 10 minutes.

Lower the temperature to 350◦F/180◦C degrees and continue baking until well-colored and dry, about 20 minutes more.

2. Bake the heads and bodies until golden and puffy. The heads can be baked in the lower temperature to 350 F for 20 minutes.  The heads will be done a few minutes, so keep a close eye on the baking process. Remove to a rack and cool.

 

VANILLA CREME

Ingredients :

All-purpose flour - 2 tablespoons

Sugar - ½ cup

Egg yolks - 4 large well beaten

Milk - 1 cup

Vanilla extract - 1 cup

Unflavored gelatin - 1 tablespoon

Heavy Whipping cream - 1 cup 

Method:

1. In a medium saucepan combine gelatin, flour, and sugar. Mix very well.

2. Add milk and egg yolks and turn heat to medium-low.

3. Stir almost constantly until mixture is thick enough to cover the back of your spatula or spoon. This should take about 10 minutes.

4. Once thick, immediately dump into a bowl, straining the mixture if you are concerned about lumps of cooked egg.

5. Add the vanilla, and mix in well.

6. Cover the surface to prevent a skin from forming, and chill for about 45 minutes.

7. You do not want the mixture to set, just to continue thickening.

8. Now is a good time to begin your choux paste.

9. In a large bowl, beat cream until light peaks form.

10. Carefully fold the vanilla mixture into the whipped cream until the mixture is well-blended and fairly smooth.

11. Refrigerate mixture if not using immediately.

Assembly:

    Take a swan body and use a very sharp knife to cut off the top 1/3rd to ½.

    Cut the removed top down the center to make two wings.

    Dollops a bit of filling into the body, insert head, and then add wings.

ENJOY THE LIGHT AIRY DESSERT!!!!