Heaven In Your Mouth, Hell On Your Waistline

Cream Puffs-Heaven in your mouth, hell on your waistline!

Food has a strange way of reminding us of a certain a time and place.  For me, if there is one particular food that I associate closely with a particular time and person in my life, that would be cream puffs and my mother.

This classic French pastry always reminds me of my mom and my childhood.  My mom has been making this ever since I can remember.  I used to watch her make this for special occasions.  When I got a little older, I'd help her make the filling.  People always requested that she bring this whenever there were potlucks and parties. 

When I was around 6 or 7 years old, I can recall her looking at some Julia Child cookbook as she was making these puffs.  I believe Julia Child popularized this French classic in the United States in the '70's, if I'm not mistaken.

I remember way back in the early '90's, there was a recession going on and my mom's hours at work were cut back.  To make ends meet, she sold these to her friends and co-workers.  Around Christmas time, I would come home from school and find our dining table (for 6 people), from one end to the other, full of these unfilled puffs.  She'd leave a note saying, "Honey, please fill these shells after you do your homework.   Love, Mom."  I must have gained about 5 lbs. during this time since not only was I just stuffing the shells, I was stuffing my face with these as well.  Needless to say, my waistline certainly suffered, and I managed to turn myself into  a chubby 9th grader in no time at all. 

I only started making these myself last Christmas.  I was quite surprised that I remembered the recipe just by watching my mom all those years ago.  I can practically do these with my eyes closed.  So here I am on the other side of the world, in my green kitchen (not my choice), making these same cream puffs the way my mom did in her tiny pink kitchen in Los Angeles.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (115 g)      butter, unsalted

1/4 tsp  (1.26 g)     salt

1 cup    (236.6 ml) water

1 cup    (99.3 g )    flour

4 eggs

Preheat oven at 400 F (204 C).

Combine water, butter and salt.  Bring to a boil.  Remove from heat.

Add flour, all at once.  Vigorously mix with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together in a ball.  The dough shouldn't be sticking to the sides of the pan by this time.

Transfer the dough in the bowl of your electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.  At medium speed, incorporate eggs one at a time. Make sure the egg is well incorporated before adding another egg, otherwise you will end up with a thin, runny batter.  Mix until the dough is smooth and shiny.

Fill a pastry bag with the dough, cut 1/2 inch (1.27 cm) opening at the tip.  Pipe about 1/4 (0.64 cm)-size balls on ungreased baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch space between each ball.

Bake for about 8 minutes.

Reduce temperature to 375 F (191 C). Continue baking until the choux are puffed and golden brown and feel dry.  About 10 minutes.  Remove from oven, let cool on the baking sheet.

(adapted from François Payard)

2 cups   (480 g)   milk

1/4 cup  (100 g)  sugar

5 tbsp    (40 g)    cornstarch/cornflour

4 large egg yolks

1 tbsp   (15 g) butter, unsalted

Line shallow pan with plastic wrap.

Pour milk in a medium sauce pan over medium heat.  Remove from heat as soon as small bubbles form around the sides.

Combine the sugar, cornstarch/cornflour and whisk in the yolks. Whisk until the yolks reach a pale yellow color. 

Slowly pour a fourth of the milk into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly to prevent the yolks from curdling. 

Once the milk is well incorporated, return the mixture to the saucepan over medium heat, and cook, whisking constantly and scraping the bottom and sides of the pan with the whisk to prevent lumps from forming, until it the consistency thickens and bubbles start popping from the center of the pan for at least 20 seconds.  You need to bring to a boil to activate the cornstarch.

Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter until mleted and the mixture is smooth.  Pour the  cream into the prepared pan; cover with plastic to prevent a skin from forming.  Cool to room temperature then refrigerate until ready to use.

Caramel Sauce

(adapted from whatscookingamerica)

6 tablespoons (88.72 ml)  light corn syrup

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons   (119.77 g) sugar

3 tablespoons (43.03 g)  unsalted butter, cut up into pieces

1/2 cup  (118.3 ml)  warm heavy cream

In a heavy saucepan over low to medium-low heat, heat the corn syrup.
Stir in the sugar and cook, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves and mixture just begins to simmer.