Mascarpone-Vanilla choux pastry
Lately I have noticed a lot of choux pastry desserts, especially the ones with a crispy topping. They are basically creme puffs with a twist. The dough is the same but it is then topped with a crisp made from flour, butter and sugar. After baking they look super cute and the crispy topping is delicious.
Because the choux dough has little flavor on it's own, you can fill it with any cream of your choice.
The dough is made with milk, butter, water, little sugar, eggs and flour. Milk, water and butter is simmered until melted and hot, then the flour is added. The dough is cooked through, to cook the flour. After that the eggs are added, one at a time. It is very important that you mix the hot dough in a electric or hand held mixer until it is no longer steaming. Otherwise the dough will be too liquid when the eggs are added.
Making the crisp is very simple, it can be made in advance and be kept frozen until needed.
The baking of the pastry is the crucial part. I almost had a disaster when I was baking mine. I baked them for 15 minutes, they were beautifully golden and puffed and I decided to take them out of the oven. They started to deflate in less then a minute. I went from beautifully puffed choux buns to a wrinkled discs. As soon as I saw what happened I put them back in the oven and hoped to God that they somehow recover. A few minutes later I went back to the oven to check on them and they were beautiful. I was so relived and happy that they somehow puffed back up. I baked them for additional 30 minutes until they were baked through and did not collapse when I took one out. I recommend that you take one out and see what happens. If it starts to collapse put it back in the oven and bake more.
There are so many combinations and flavors you can make to fill your choux buns. I made a simple mascarpone and cream filling with a hint of vanilla. For added freshness I placed a few fresh raspberries in each bun. You can also experiment with presentation. I cut the top and piped the cream on the bottom and placed raspberries around. You can also just pipe the filling in the choux and on top for a simpler presentation.
Place a frozen crisp disc on each choux ball.
Turn off the oven and place in the choux pastry. Let it bake in residual heat for 12 minutes. Turn the oven back to 160°C (320°F) and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. You can take one choux out of the oven and test it if it's baked. If it's under-baked it will deflate and you can quickly put it back in the oven. After baking, leave them to cool completely.
Making the mascarpone filling:
Put all ingredients in a bowl and whip until stiff peaks form. Pour in a piping bag and place in the fridge until ready to assemble.
Assembly:
Whit a serrated knife, cut the top of the choux. Pipe the mascarpone cream at the bottom.
Garnish with fresh raspberries and place on the top part of the choux.
Because the choux dough has little flavor on it's own, you can fill it with any cream of your choice.
The dough is made with milk, butter, water, little sugar, eggs and flour. Milk, water and butter is simmered until melted and hot, then the flour is added. The dough is cooked through, to cook the flour. After that the eggs are added, one at a time. It is very important that you mix the hot dough in a electric or hand held mixer until it is no longer steaming. Otherwise the dough will be too liquid when the eggs are added.
Making the crisp is very simple, it can be made in advance and be kept frozen until needed.
The baking of the pastry is the crucial part. I almost had a disaster when I was baking mine. I baked them for 15 minutes, they were beautifully golden and puffed and I decided to take them out of the oven. They started to deflate in less then a minute. I went from beautifully puffed choux buns to a wrinkled discs. As soon as I saw what happened I put them back in the oven and hoped to God that they somehow recover. A few minutes later I went back to the oven to check on them and they were beautiful. I was so relived and happy that they somehow puffed back up. I baked them for additional 30 minutes until they were baked through and did not collapse when I took one out. I recommend that you take one out and see what happens. If it starts to collapse put it back in the oven and bake more.
There are so many combinations and flavors you can make to fill your choux buns. I made a simple mascarpone and cream filling with a hint of vanilla. For added freshness I placed a few fresh raspberries in each bun. You can also experiment with presentation. I cut the top and piped the cream on the bottom and placed raspberries around. You can also just pipe the filling in the choux and on top for a simpler presentation.
Mascarpone-Vanilla choux
(Makes about 12)
Time:
Preparation: 15min
Cooking: 15min
Baking: 45min
For the choux pastry:
- 65g water
- 65g whole milk
- 60g butter
- 70g all-purpose flour
- 130g eggs
- 2,5g white granulated sugar
- a pinch of salt
- 35g butter
- 40g brown sugar
- 40g all-purpose flour
- 120g heavy cream
- 25g mascarpone cheese
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste (or vanilla seeds)
- 2 tablespoons icing sugar
- fresh raspberries (for garnish)
Place butter, sugar and flour in a food processor and process until combined. Place the mixture on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place another sheet of parchment on top. Roll the dough until about 2mm thick.
Place in the freezer until frozen, about 1 hour. With a round cutter (I used a piping nozzle) cut circles about 4cm in diameter. Place back in the freezer until ready to use.
Making choux pastry:
In a pot boil water, sugar, milk, salt and butter (cut in cubes) together. When the mixture boils, take off the heat and stir in the flour (all at once). Place back on medium heat and cook for 1-2 minutes, until the dough starts coming off the sides of the pot.
Place the dough in a bowl of your electric or hand held mixer and start mixing at low speed. Let the steam escape and the dough to cool a little. Start adding eggs one at a time. Mix and the dough should come together.
Preheat oven to 230°C (446°F). Pour the dough in a piping bag fitted with a round nozzle. Pipe the dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone mat. Pipe approximately 4cm diameter choux balls.
Place a frozen crisp disc on each choux ball.
Turn off the oven and place in the choux pastry. Let it bake in residual heat for 12 minutes. Turn the oven back to 160°C (320°F) and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. You can take one choux out of the oven and test it if it's baked. If it's under-baked it will deflate and you can quickly put it back in the oven. After baking, leave them to cool completely.
Making the mascarpone filling:
Put all ingredients in a bowl and whip until stiff peaks form. Pour in a piping bag and place in the fridge until ready to assemble.
Assembly:
Whit a serrated knife, cut the top of the choux. Pipe the mascarpone cream at the bottom.
Garnish with fresh raspberries and place on the top part of the choux.
Comments
Post a Comment