Power Puffs

I am so in! After 3 years in the neighborhood, I finally have some “bargaining power” with my local shopkeepers. So far the only shop nearby that recognizes me is the Italian traiteur. Since I happened to be walking home with a cake box just bursting with beautiful handmade “choux” (cream puffs), I decided to pop in and test my newfound powers of persuasion.

Luckily the very jolly-looking chef was in the shop having a hand-wavingly animated discussion in Italian with the saleslady, accompanied by French rap radio as only happens here. I proudly flashed them my wares and was immediately rewarded with oohs and aahs, which was very polite of them given there is a quite decent authentic boulangerie / patisserie right across the street.

At first my new friends wanted to keep the entire box of goodies but I probably looked so hungry and desperate that they ended up taking one each of “chou chantilly” and “chou à la crème”, garnished with a few sugary “chouquettes”. After the chef and I both confessed our hopeless gourmandise, I moved in for the kill.

I subtly (or not so subtly for those who have seen it before) gave him my best puppy dog eyes and my sweetest smile. Pause. He suddenly decided I was worthy of VIP status and started moving towards the liquor cabinet. “Limoncello, carina?” Et là, mes amis, victoire!

~ “Pâte à Choux” ~ (cream puff pastry)

Makes:
- “Chouquettes” (small, sweet puff pastry covered in pearl sugar)
- Cream puffs (fill with your choice of whipped cream, custard, etc.)

Ingredients:
- 125 g water (½ cup)
- 125 g milk (½ cup)
- 2.5 g salt (½ tsp)
- 5 g sugar (1 ¼ tsp)
- 125 g butter, cut into small pieces (½ cup)
- 150 g flour, sifted (1 ½ cups)
- 250 g eggs, beaten (4 to 5 eggs; 8.8 oz)
- melted butter, to glaze

How to:
1. Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F)

2. In a saucepan, gently heat the water, milk, salt, sugar and pieces of butter while stirring with a wooden spoon. Once the butter is melted, turn the heat up to medium until the liquid comes to a boil

3. Remove from heat, add all the sifted flour at once and stir energetically until combined

4. Return to medium low heat and stir constantly until the mixture comes away from the sides of the saucepan and makes a thick, smooth ball, about 1 minute

5. Transfer the batter to a mixing bowl and stir occasionally to let cool, about 2 minutes

6. Mix in half of the beaten eggs with the dough. Stir until combined. Continue mixing in half of the remaining eggs until the batter is shiny and smooth. Stir more and more slowly as the batter gets closer to the desired consistency

7. Grease a baking sheet (i.e. with a butter spray) and wipe gently with a paper towel to remove the excess. The sheet should not be too greasy or else the batter will not adhere correctly

8. Decorate the baking sheet
* For “chouquettes” (baby puffs)
- Fill a pastry bag with a plain tip (or a plastic baggie with the corner snipped off) with some of the batter. Pipe or use 2 spoons to drop approx. 1” rounds of batter onto the baking sheet
- Press plenty of pearl sugar crystals (or the largest sugar crystals you can get your hands on) over the top and sides of the baby puffs.
Note: If my chef ever found out I might get expelled for this, but I don’t see why you can’t substitute sprinkles or chocolate chips for the pearl sugar. Just make sure the batter is completely cooled before adding. It’s not entirely French but why does tradition have to dictate law?

* For cream puffs (mamma puffs)
- Fill a pastry bag with a plain tip (or a plastic baggie with the corner snipped off) with some of the batter. Pipe or use 2 spoons to drop approx. 2” rounds of batter onto the baking sheet
- Brush the tops of the pastry shells with a very small amount of melted butter
- Press the tops of the pastry shells gently with the back of a fork twice at 90° angles to make a lattice mark to stabilize them during baking

9. We’re almost there!
- Bake at 220°C / 425°F (temperature and cooking time may vary depending on the oven) for about 35 minutes. Prop the oven door open ever so slightly towards the end of baking to allow the shells to dry out better
- Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack

You can enjoy the baby puffs once cooled. You can cut the caps off of the mamma puffs and fill with your choice of sweet whipped cream, custard, ice cream (again, not entirely tradi) or whatever grabs ya. Replace the caps and dust with icing sugar (optional).

Ya mi!