Monday, April 13, 2015

Choux~ Choux Pastry~










Minis..I have a folder on Pinterest of Minis.. so nice to see small once in a while especially for desserts..
I have made these in the past..some with success..some without.
We were watching Curieux Bégin one night,,and Lesley Chesterman was a guest.
I knew who she was..  and knew what she did..but I had never seen her nor ever heard her speak.
I instantly liked her.
Down to earth,natural,smart,genuine.
She is a also a pastry chef apart form being a writer,food critic.. columnist..etc..
She made choux pastry on the show..just a small segment of the show..and I just loved how she explained everything.
So I set out to do it her way.
I had never seen anyone explain it so well:)
So I made some..and they rose and puffed and became golden and light.
This was definitely a make again for me...and I did.
You can fill them with all kinds of things..from whipped cream that you have flavored..or not..  a pastry cream.. a coffee cream..the last ones I made..Saturday..had espresso whipped cream in them.
What prompted me to have a real coup de coeur..was her sifting of icing sugar on top.
Fill them with ice cream and add a glaze..
or make a mountain out of them and make a croquembouche.
If you have never made any..this is fun to try..to make and to serve~

The finished little choux are way  too pretty not to make.

Again..both times I made 1/ 2 of the recipe..you can find the recipe in it's entirety here.

I'll jot down the half that I did..and a brief explanation of how I made them..


La Recette


1/4 C milk
1/4 C water
1/4 tsp salt..(I used salted butter so nosalt for me)
1/2 tsp granulated sugar
50 grams of butter
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 eggs beaten together 1 egg beaten apart   (full recipe is 5 together 1 apart)

Place first 5 ingredients in a pot on stove..bring to a boil,remove from heat and dump in the flour all at once..stir with wooden spoon until it forms a mass.. and does not stick to the sides or bottom of the pot,,put the mixture back on the stove and stir w/ wooden spoon about 2 minutes.

I then removed the pot from the stove..added 2 beaten eggs and beat w/ a hand mixer..1 egg at a time and make sure they are perfectly incorporated..it will be a smooth smooth mixture..lump free.. add more egg until the mixture kind of has a sheen..gloss to it..
I needed to add half of the extra beaten egg..and it was perfect.

I used my Silpat and piped the choux..  they like to be close together but not touching..they will expand and puff up so leave room.
You can flatten slightly w/ a fork..but I use the pastry brush as I am brushing all the tops with some of the leftover beaten egg.
Bake in a preheated 375 F oven for ap 35 minutes..don't peek by opening the stove..but keep and eye out..
The first time I did them like this..the second time..for fun..I took them out slit a steam vent and put them back in 5 minutes..

Place on cooling rack..and let cool before handling..they are as light as air:)

It made  about 18 choux for me.

Meanwhile 10 minutes before I was ready to pipe the cream filling I froze the beaters and the bowl for the cream..

Once cooled..slice in half and fill with cream..

I used this recipe..and again halved it

1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 tbsp of instant coffee (I used instant espresso)
1/4 tbsp boiling water
1/2 C icing sugar
vanilla to taste.

Place all the ingredients in your chilled bowl and beat until you get the consistency you want.
I like it firm enough to pipe prettily.

Sift w/ icing sugar

I fill mine shortly before serving..These I made in the afternoon around 2  ,filled and then refrigerated them ..
They were fine at 6.30 still.
I don't have whipped cream stabilizer but I read that you can even make them the night before if you have used stabilizer.
I read KAF has some.


The first time..I used plain whipped cream...the second time..the café one.
These are adorable..mini desserts..


I made Ricardo's bread again ..and forgot it!
I baked it maybe 20 hrs later..and it was just as good.

Perfect bread recipe..Crunchy crust..holey interior.♥

We had D. Lebovitz's Chicken Marsala  again..w/ modifications..and it was just as good again.
We watched the finale of Bloodline..

Saturday I went for a walk with 2 boys on bikes and one walking.. my daughter, and Ray their Chihuahua..
How those small dogs can walk so fast walking  against the cold wind of Saturday w/out a Kleenex in hand ..paw..is beyond me..
We met big dogs that should be ferocious..they were so sweet..while Ray tried to show them who was boss;)
They walked on indifferently.

Sunday Lucas rode over on his bigger bike..and I stepped out into the gardens..and hauled out the cushions for he porches.
The warm sun on my face..felt like a great gift.

My Easter tulips waned on Friday..they had lasted quite long though..
my daughters hyacinths..are still gorgeous here.



Soon we will be admiring our garden tulips..Not a second too soon I might add:)



Look at Pachysandra..I know I know..takes over..It's where I don't mind it to..but what resilience might I add!
The snow recedes.."like a hairline" ,my friend Nancy wrote..
and all this Pachysandra  survives ..year after year after year~

51 comments:

  1. Que buenos y bonitos te han quedado. Nunca he hecho choux, a ver si lo intento.
    Besos

    lagalletarota.blogspot.com

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  2. I love choux pastry (and my mom too) and these look awesome and perfect I have to try this recipe Monique!
    Have a lovely day!

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    1. I think you will find they are a success every time Gloria:)

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    2. Im sure ! Love your recipes Monique!

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  3. I have made those Monique and they are surprisingly easy. I thought they would be more difficult than they are. I filled mine with a vanilla cream and should have made them smaller. Oh well, good trick to play on myself. More to love.

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  4. I love the versatility of choux pastry but sometimes it turns out, sometimes it doesn't. I will try your recipe, Monique. My favorite way to prepare the little puffs is with a pastry cream filling and a bit of chocolate glaze.

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  5. Another beautiful blog, Monique! I have tried many, many things, but choux pastry is not one of them! Odd, though. My sister has great success with hers, so I suppose I just let her have that expertise on her own.:-)

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  6. Well for some reason I can't seem to reply individually..That's going to bother me;)
    Just a glitch I bet!
    You are right in tthe past sometimes they wrked sometimes not..these..twice in a row perfect:)
    Love bite size..and that would be my fave too a pastry cream w/ chocolate on top:)
    Just a bite!
    Nellie there are many things here I ahve left to Jacques' expertise!

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  7. Ces choux sont tellement beaux !
    Comme tu as sûrement vu sur le blog j'adore les petits choux <3

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  8. I've never attempted choux pastry and my daring/brave days are over. However, I would not hesitate to enjoy yours. So glad spring is on the way for you. I'm with you. Let the pachysandra take over. You can always cut it back and besides, I like how it looks.
    Sam

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    1. Oh me too.. especially if you could see what our gardens look like at the moment..all at once though..they will explode..and then ..they are gone..

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  9. I just can hardly believe you made those!
    They are magnificent!
    I have oodles of Pachysandra at my cottage....
    The wee flowers are so precious....
    Miss V sleeping over tonight♥️
    Enjoy your week.....
    Cheers!
    Linda :o)
    ps......neat shoes!

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    1. You can make these in an instant too..Lucas loved them!
      I bet you had fun at the sleepover:)

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  10. This looks like the lightest, airiest of deserts! And just the right size. Another one of your wonderful recipes that I am trying.
    Amalia
    xo

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  11. Oh my gosh, as they say in the South, "I've died and gone to heaven" - I can't wait to make these! Cream puffs are my secret downfall, but good ones from a pastry shop, which we don't have around here. Thank you so, so much for the recipes and those glorious photographs! Off to find your mini board....(loving the gentle rain here this morning)

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    1. Just small patches of snow.. really nothing..have my first gardening/raking blister.
      These will put a smile on your face.. 1/2 recipe makes enough for you and your neighbors:)
      It rained during the night here.

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  12. Yum, yum! Jerry loves the version with the ice cream and chocolate drizzle, profiteroles. These are so much lighter. The coffee flavored cream sounds good. I am making the savory version , gougeres, this week to take to a birthday celebration for my daughter and son in law. Is ill use Dori Greenspan's recioe. I am also bringing Ricardo's bread as it was such a hit with the crowd at Easter. The garden boots look good Monique! Yesterday was beautiful here so I was out tiding up the hellebores. They look so bad until all the dead looking leaves are cut off (normally I try to get this done in December but snow came too soon this year) and then they magically look wonderful. Soon you will be out there digging around too!

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    1. I hope you show me your hellebores..You are right they go from unsightly to ethereal.:)

      Gougères are perfect little apps..
      I saw one shaped like a ring..w/ avocado..guacamole and a a seafood salad I think in the middle..purty!
      Ricardo's bread is so far the best..
      The boots are doing the job:)
      Have fun at your daughter's birthday!

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    2. Will do! That sounds good with the guacamole. Some allergies to seafood but that does sound yummy.

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  13. I love choux pastry. Your mini choux look delicious Monique. I love gougeres as an appetizer too. So versatile.

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    1. I saw the ones you had at Penny2:)

      Hope she is moving closer to you!

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  14. Do you know that cream puffs with choux pastry was one of the very first things I learned how to bake as a young teenager at home? I pulled out my mother's Better Crocker cookbook and decided to try. It worked! I love them but haven't made them in quite a while. I love the sound of the cafe creme! Delicious and so pretty. Minis work for me now :) The garden - oh, la, la. I have daffodils blooming! I'm smiling a big smile. You will soon too :)

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    1. I can hear you smiling;)
      I never knew that! After all these years!

      x

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  15. They look perfect! Mine never look quite as good as yours. In addition to making desserts, I've actually stuffed them which chicken salad for a luncheon treat.

    Best,
    Bonnie

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  16. What a delightful dessert. I have made these once years ago. Every time I see them, I am reminded to make them again, but life gets in the way. I wish I would get more motivated to bake more. As always your desserts and photos are mouth watering. Tulips are so beautiful. I love seeing fields of them.

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    1. Linda:)
      If I had as much going on as you do ..and the weather you have..I would be baking less and gardening more;)
      It is so true how we forget about these classics!

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  17. Les petits chiens essayent toujours de faire les malins devant les gros ! ;o)) Ils sont magnifiques, tes choux. Tu es une vraie pro. C'est vrai que pinterest donne des idées, hein ? ;o)
    Bisous et bonne soirée
    Hélène

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    1. Pinterest et mes copines blogueuses:)x

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    2. C'est vrai aussi ! ;o) D'ailleurs, demain, j'essaierai tes petits pains aux olives ! ;o)

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  18. Please open a LA TABLE SE NANA in Paris!!!
    Miam miam

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  19. Wow - these are on my culinary bucket list - so gorgeous!

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  20. I've never made choux choux but I know someone that would be happy if I did! I'd probably have to do a chocolate filling though! And no, you asked about morkies. Sorry. They were Skye terriers!

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    1. Ahhh..a Morkie is in our gran dog future...
      These are easy!

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  21. Cute, cute dessert and love the way you photographed it. I've made them once for my office group, at least 15 years ago, big hit and I should make them again. We loved them.
    You took the words out of my mouth about the Pachysandra. There was still a foot of snow on the ground at my camp on Saturday, and I spied the resilient Pachysandra full of life.
    We are fans of chicken marsala, and it's on the menu tonight ;o)
    Have a great rest of the week!

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    1. Thanks Debbie! You too..
      I remember when I bought cannoli molds because of you;)

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    2. They sell cannoli on every corner here :-) I made them twice but now I buy them. Nice memory.

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  22. Those look perfect. I love the stretch that you can see on the close up bun on the rack and the 'dressed' ones look as if they have some crunchy bite to them.

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  23. Bonjour ma chère Nana,

    Un petit billet qui me ravit !... Les choux à la crème ! Une belle histoire qui remonte jusque dans l'enfance et je pense que c'est pour cette raison qu'ils tiennent une place de choix dans mon coeur.
    J'ai vécu chez mes grands-parents enfant. Je me souviens que les choux à la crème étaient l'unique gâteau que ma grand-mère achetait en pâtisserie le dimanche matin.
    Elle concoctait toutes les pâtisseries et elle aurait pu les faire aussi mais le dimanche c'était les choux à la crème du seul et unique pâtissier du village.
    Je l'accompagnais et restais le regard rivé sur le plateau qui contenait ces merveilleuses douceurs dorées à la crème chantilly saupoudrées de sucre glace !
    Petit, les choses paraissent toujours plus gros. Et crois-moi qu'ils étaient alors gros !!...
    Lorsque j'ai quitté l'enfance, ce fut les premiers gâteaux que je songeais à faire. J'en fais régulièrement et mes enfants et petits-enfants adorent mes choux à la crème que je fourre de différentes crèmes.
    Nathan, l'aîné des petits, adore lorsque je les garnis de mousse au chocolat.
    Il m'arrive aussi de fabriquer de petits choux pour les apéritifs, ils sont alors salés. Je les garnis de crème béchamel au gruyère et jambon ou champignons. Parfois aussi je cuisine les escargots avec un beurre persillé et je fourre les petits choux avec...
    Il y a tant de choses à faire avec une pâte à choux !

    Merci ma chère Nana pour ce délicieux moment passé en ta compagnie qui a réveillé de merveilleux souvenirs.
    Tes choux doivent être délicieux. Les photos sont magnifiques. J'aime aussi le patchwork de tes tulipes pascales.

    ❀ ♡ Gros bisous ♡ ❀

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    1. Quels tendres souvenirs M~A...J'aurais aimé que tu aies une poupée avec tes grands -parents ainsi que des choux..
      Hier..ils étaient remplis de crème pâtissière avec un petit glaçage au choco..Miam:)

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  24. Your Choux is just perfect Monique! I would expect nothing less than that from you. You are such a talented baker and cook. I always enjoy all that you post and of course your photography and presentation is just the best! Choux pastry, done well is beautiful to see. Your's is excellent! Love the pretty tulips and the colourful shoes and reading about Ray. What a lovely life. You are blessed. Love and hugs. xoxo

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    1. You're the talented baker cook!

      I bet I have way more recipes of yours that I make:)

      Always something I know we will enjoy..like those scones this morning..
      Yesterday..they had pastry cream and a choco glaze..yum!
      All I did was dry them up in the oven a bit..they were leftover shells:)

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  25. Hello dear Monique,
    I wanted to make Choux for very long time, we had them in Russia also and loved them. Your looks just perfect! Thank you for reminder!!

    Hugs,

    Yelena

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