April 1, 2009 - Pate a Choux and pastry cream; chocolate sauce, praline

Dinner today was French onion soup and/or Asparagus, Lettuce, and Pea Soup with cheese bread and a fresh green salad. I didn't try the French Onion, but the Asparagus with pea was amazing. I'm not a big soup person, even when it is cold (current SF weather = 75ish degrees), so although I liked it, I was hoping that the next week the class would move on to something more substantial. 

Now onto the baking....did someone say cream puffs?!?! We learned to make Pate a Choux - the pastry used for profiteroles (cream puffs), eclairs, and the oh so divine Gateau Paris-Brest (a pastry created to honor a bicycle race between the cities of Paris and Brest, shaped to resemble a bicycle wheel). Not only is Pate a Choux incredibly easy to make, but it's also super impressive. Everyone I have shared my baked delights with since has thought that I am already some sort of pastry goddess. My roommates especially loved the profiteroles I filled with different flavors of ice cream. The star of the evening was the Paris-Brest, so that is the one I will share.

Delicious Recipe of the Day: Gateau Paris -Brest

(courtesy of Mary Risley)

 Choux Paste

• 1 cup water
• 4 oz butter
• 1 cup flour
• 4 eggs
• pinch salt
• 2-3 Tbsp sliced almonds

Praline

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup almonds

Pastry Cream (lighter version)

• 4 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• pinch of salt

Whipped Cream

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 2 Tbsp dark rum
• Confectioner's sugar

Choux: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. To make the pate a choux, combine the butter, salt and water in a small saucepan. Melt butter, then bring to a boil. Off the heat, add the flour all at once, beating with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a ball and comes away from the sides of the pan. Return to the heat and cook 1-2 minutes, until the dough forms a shiny ball. Transfer dough to the bowl of Kitchenaid, fitted with a paddle. Mix at low speed until dough has cooled somewhat. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition until incorporated. Place dough in pastry bad with round tip. On a parchment-lined sheet tray, pipe a ring. Pipe another ring inside the first ring. Pipe a third ring on top. Eggwash and sprinkle with almonds. Turn up oven to 425 degres and bake about 40 minutes, until very brown. Remove from oven and pierce bottom a few times to let steam escape. When cool, slice in half lengthwise, forming a top and bottom. 

Pastry Cream: Combine the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl. Add the cornstarch. Temper mixture by gradually whisking in heated milk. Pour mixture into saucepan. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Cook 1-2 minutes, until thick. Add the vanilla and butter. Cool covered with plastic or buttered waxed paper to prevent skin. When cool, mix with praline.  

Whipped Cream: When ready to assemble, whip the cream with sugar and rum until stiff. Pipe praline pastry cream into c]bottom of pastry. Pipe whipped cream on top of praline cream. Cover with top pastry and dust with confectioners sugar.