We usually like to make homemade donuts for General Conference, but we have had way too many donuts lately, so my oldest daughter and husband suggested cream puffs. They both helped me make them and I think they turned out great! We used half of the pastry cream to make vanilla filled, and stirred about 1/2 cup Nutella into the rest to make the Nutella pastry cream. Yum!
Pate a choux - Alton Brown
1 cup water
3/4 stick butter (6 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon sugar plus 1/8 teaspoon salt (for sweet)
1 teaspoon salt (for savory)
5 3/4 ounces flour
1 cup eggs, about 4 large eggs and 2 whites
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Boil water, butter, and salt or sugar. Add flour and remove
from heat. Work mixture together and return to heat. Continue working the
mixture until all flour is incorporated and dough forms a ball. Transfer
mixture into bowl of a standing mixer and let cool for 3 or 4 minutes.
With mixer on stir or lowest speed add eggs, 1 at a time,
making sure the first egg is completely incorporated before continuing. Once
all eggs have been added and the mixture is smooth put dough into piping bag
fitted with a round tip. Pipe immediately into golfball-size shapes, 2 inches
apart onto parchment lined sheet pans. Cook for 10 minutes, then turn the oven
down to 350 degrees F and bake for 10 more minutes or until golden brown. Once
they are removed from the oven pierce with a paring knife immediately to
release steam.
Pastry Cream - Allrecipes
2 cups milk
1/4 cup white sugar
2 egg yolks
1 egg
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/3 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a heavy saucepan, stir together the milk and 1/4 cup of
sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and egg. Stir
together the remaining sugar and cornstarch; then stir them into the egg until
smooth. When the milk comes to a boil, drizzle it into the bowl in a thin
stream while mixing so that you do not cook the eggs. Return the mixture to the
saucepan, and slowly bring to a boil, stirring constantly so the eggs don' t
curdle or scorch on the bottom.
When the mixture comes to a boil and thickens, remove from
the heat. Stir in the butter and vanilla, mixing until the butter is completely
blended in. Pour into a heat-proof container and place a piece of plastic wrap
directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until
chilled before using.
