Cream Puffs

Cream puff is one of its kind of pastry where the preparation process incorporates both the cooking and mixing method.  The pastry used in making cream puff is call choux pastry. Choux pastry is prepared by pre-cooking the flour quickly in boiling water mixed with melted butter, sugar and salt.  After which, eggs are incorporated to create a smooth and firm mixture.  The cooking process caused the starch in the flour to break down and swell resulting in a smooth and firm mixture rather than the usual dry, crumbly mixture which many pastry are made.

Ingredients
1 cup water
100g butter
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup plain flour, sifted
3 large eggs

1.  Place water, butter, sugar and salt in a sauce pan over moderate heat and bring mixture to a boil.
2.  Add flour all at one go and stirr vigorously until dough forms a ball and comes away from sides of pan.
3.  Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl and let it cool for 2 to 3 minutes.
4.  Beat in eggs, 1 at a time and mix well after each addition.
5.  Spoon pastry into a piping bag fitted with large star piping tip and pipe pastry on baking sheets.
6.  Bake in oven pre-heated to 200C for 5 to 10 minutes, until pastry puffed up.
7.  Reduce heat to 180C and continue to bake for another 15 minutes or until golden brown.
8.  Remove cream puffs from baking sheet and leave to cool before filling them with custard cream.


Custard Cream
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1 tbsp flour, sifted
1/2 cup milk
1 egg yolk

1.  Mix 1/4 cup of milk with flour and set aside.
2.  Place the other half of milk (1/4 cup), butter, sugar and vanilla essence in a sauce pan and cook over moderate heat until sugar has dissolved.
3.  Stir in the milk and flour mixture and continue cooking until mixture has thicken.
4.  Remove from heat and stir in the egg yolk.
5.  Leave custard to cool before use.

Note
-  1. The purpose of reducing the heat while baking cream puffs is to ensure the centre of the cream puff is properly cooked.
 - 2.  To avoid a layer forming on top of the custard , place a piece of cling wrap on the surface of custard before leaving the custard to cool.