Oh puffy,
puff,
Full of whippy stuff,
How do I love thee?
Let me count and see.
Crispy, yet light,
Oh such a lovely sight,
Pudding and cream,
Floating sugar a dream.
When it comes to
spontaneous poetry, I am not your go-to gal.
However, when it comes to, “What dessert will fill my love’s heart with
joy?” I might just have the answer to that.
Valentine’s Day is almost
upon us. A day when expressing undying
love to your chosen one is, basically, mandatory. Gifts, expensive dinner out, chocolates,
cards full of sappy poetry. It can be
too much pressure for some; but to others, a wish that does not seem to ever
come true. While I do have someone I
love dearly, in my life; I do remember those lonely times of wishing and
wanting. So, may I ask, if you do not
mind, that if you know of anyone, who will be alone for this holiday of love,
give them a surprise. Whether it is a
simple card stating, “You are not alone and are loved.” Or a little gift given
with the same sentiment, well, you never know, but you might even save
someone’s life with that small gesture.
I began this New Year,
with a declaration of conquering fear, especially when it comes to baking. First fear was making Cinnamon Rolls, and it
was more fun than I thought it would be.
Well, I have another recipe which I conquered, and it makes the perfect
treat for Valentine’s Day, or any special occasion. That edible puff of love I wrote about in my
short, but sweet, poem…The Cream Puff!
The cream puff was
invented in 1540 by Catherine de Medici's pastry chef, Pantanelli, for
Catherine’s husband, Henry II of France.
Now here is a little tidbit that sort of points out the king as being a
bit of a lecher. He wanted the pastry
puffs to resemble the full breasts of a voluptuous woman. The chef, being from Florence, Italy, had no
problem fulfilling the king’s request.
The pastry dough used for
cream puffs, and eclairs as well, is called pâte
à choux. The basic ingredients are
water, butter, flour and eggs; there is no leavening, or rising, agent. So what makes them puff up? The high moisture content of the dough
creates internal steam which rises, and bakes, them into round, or oblong,
puffs. Once baked, they must be poked
with a sharp instrument (knife, fork tine, or toothpick), so the steam can be
released. Otherwise the puff will
deflate, and you will be left with a flat pancake, of sorts.
Once baked, poked and cooled,
the puff can be cut open with a sharp knife.
Lengthwise, about one quarter of an inch from the bottom is best. Once open, there will be a layer of unbaked
dough that must be removed, before filling.
Now, can you simply poke open a larger hole, and fill using a pastry
bag? Of course! But removing the uncooked dough will give a
larger empty space which means…more filling!
A typical filling for
puffs and eclairs is whipped cream which is made by whisking together two cups heavy
cream, ¼ cup confectioner’s sugar and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract. Yes, different flavors of extract can be
used; even a variety of flavors if making a display for an event like a wedding
reception or birthday party. However, a
rich custard can be made instead by simply using a one ounce package of instant
pudding mix. While pudding mix asks for
two cups of milk, substitute two cups of half and half or heavy cream; whisk
for two minutes, and refrigerate for five minutes. The pudding will be light, airy and resemble
whipped cream; use any flavor you like, or a mixture as I suggested for the
whipped cream. Whatever filling you
make, it will be enough for 8 to 9 large puffs.
Hint, you can also use
these to make elegant sandwiches for a tea or brunch. Make up chicken, ham, or tuna salads; do not
over use the mayonnaise as you do not want your puffs to get soggy.
Measuring for a large puff
is about ¼ cup, but you will have to use a spatula to get the filling out of
the cup. Instead, use a 2-inch diameter
ice cream scoop which will release the filling easily, and retain the
roundness. I also suggest using an ice
cream scoop for portioning out your dough before baking; again, it retains the
roundness. For miniature puffs, use a
1-inch diameter scoop for the dough, and then the filling.
Will there ever be times
when your dough will not rise? Sure
will; too much humidity; did not mix the liquid and flour over the heat long
enough; added the wrong size eggs; used cheap margarine (too oily) instead of
pure butter; did not pay attention to the directions (very guilty of this one);
kept opening the oven to check on the puffs.
If at first you do not succeed, do it again! First time I made these, perfection; next two
times were an embarrassing fail; then perfection again as I figured out why I
was flubbing.
Now for the recipe as I am
sure you are raring to begin baking.
Choux Pastry or Pate a Choux
Ingredients:
1 cup water
½ cup butter
½ tsp. salt
1 cup all-purpose flour,
sifted (add 2 Tbsp. for high altitude)
4 large eggs
2 Tbsp. milk (personally
use 2%)
1 large egg yolk
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400 F;
line baking pans with parchment paper.
In a large saucepan, bring
the water, butter and salt to a soft boil, over medium heat (no roiling
boil!). Immediately add the flour and
begin stirring until it forms a smooth ball.
Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
Add one egg at a time and fully incorporate into the dough ball. Continue mixing until it forms a smooth and shiny dough. The dough will be wet, but will retain its shape when measured out.
Drop by ¼ cup (or 2-inch
ice cream scoop) onto parchment lined baking pans, 2-inches apart. Beat together the water and egg yolk with a
fork; brush lightly onto the tops of the dough mounds.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or
until golden brown. Remove from oven and
immediately poke a hole into each puff to release steam; remove each puff to a
wire rack to cool.
Makes 8-9 large puffs.
Fill the puffs before
serving. If not using the same day,
place in an air tight container for up to two days. Or, place inside a freezer bag and freeze for
up to two months. To crisp up the puffs,
preheat the oven to 300F, place on a baking sheet and heat for 5 to 8 minutes.
Garnishes: Powdered sugar; fresh fruit (raspberries
(black or red), blueberries, strawberries slices and fanned out); drizzled with
chocolate or caramel syrup or honey; melt chocolate and dip tops of puffs in,
let harden; dollop of fruit jam on top of puff.
Now that you have these
edible puffs of love down pat, make them whenever you would like to have
them. Special occasion, sure; because
you are simply feeling special, definitely!
Mary Cokenour