Belgian Cream Puffs With Chocolate Cherry Sauce Food

CARAMEL CREAM PUFFS WITH CRAQUELIN

Steps:

• Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place a stand mixer bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for your filling.
• For the craquelin: Add the butter and sugar to a second stand mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until combined. Add the flour and beat to combine. Stir in a few drops of food coloring of choice and beat until uniform in color. Scoop the paste out onto a sheet of parchment paper with a rubber spatula. Cover with another piece of parchment paper and use your hands to press out into an even sheet. Then roll gently a few times with a rolling pin to flatten to an even 1/8-inch thick. Transfer to a baking sheet and freeze for 20 minutes. When the craquelin is frozen, remove it from the freezer. Peel the top piece of parchment off and cut rounds with a 2-inch round cutter.
• For the choux dough: Combine the butter, sugar, salt and 1 cup water in a medium saucepan over low heat. Once the butter has melted, bring it to a boil over medium heat. As soon as it boils, remove the pan from the heat and sift the flour directly into the pan. Stir the batter into a paste with a wooden spoon; you will have to beat it hard. Return the pan to medium heat. Stir the batter continuously until it pulls away from the sides of the pan and is slightly shiny, about 3 minutes.
• Transfer the batter to a stand mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until slightly cooled, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, incorporating each one thoroughly before adding the next.
• Fit a large pastry bag with tip #808 and fill with the choux dough. Pipe twelve 2-inch circular mounds, about 2 inches apart, onto the prepared baking sheet. If the batter has a peak, dab it smooth with a wet fingertip.
• Beat the egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water and brush the surface of the puffs with the beaten yolk. Using a small offset spatula, gently lift the craqulin rounds off the parchment and place on top of the cream puffs. Bake on the middle rack for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F and continue baking until the puffs are golden brown, light, airy and crisp, 30 to 35 minutes more. If the cream puffs still don't feel completely dry and crisp at the end of the baking time, poke a hole in the bottom with a paring knife and place them back into the oven for a few more minutes to crisp up. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
• For the filling: Remove the stand mixer bowl and whisk attachment from the freezer. Add the cream cheese and sugar to the bowl and beat on high speed until completely combined. Add the heavy cream and vanilla and mix on low speed until mostly combined. Increase the speed to high and whip until soft peaks form. Add the dulce de leche (or your flavoring of choice) and beat until stiff peaks form. If you would like to tint your cream filling, add a few drops of food coloring at this point.
• To assemble: Cut the puffs in half with a serrated knife and set the tops aside. (If the puffs are very moist inside, scoop out the excess dough and re-crisp them in a 350 degree F oven for about 5 minutes. Cool completely before continuing.) Pipe with an open star tip or spoon the whipped cream filling into the bottom halves of the cream puffs. Replace the puff tops. Pipe a small star or dollop of whipped cream on top and decorate as desired with berries or melted chocolate.

CLASSIC CREAM PUFFS WITH CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Steps:

• Make the pastry cream: In a medium saucepan, whisk together the granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk in the egg yolks until combined, then whisk in the milk. Heat over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until it starts to thicken, 4 to 5 minutes. Immediately remove from the heat.
• Whisk in the butter and vanilla bean paste. Transfer to a bowl, then press a sheet of plastic wrap on the surface of the pastry cream. Let cool, then refrigerate until chilled through, at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
• Start the cream puff dough: In a medium saucepan, bring the milk, butter and salt to a simmer over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture comes together. Cook until the mixture starts to pull away from the sides of the pan into a ball and looks dry, 3 to 5 minutes more.
• Finish the cream puff dough: Using a wooden spoon, beat in the eggs, one at a time, waiting until they are fully incorporated before adding the next. Mix until the batter is shiny and stiff. Alternatively, you can use a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-low speed to incorporate the eggs. Transfer the batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round pastry tip.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Form and bake: On the prepared baking sheet, pipe rounds of dough that are 1 1/2 to 2 inches wide and about 1 inch high, allowing 1 inch between each. Alternatively, measure out a scant 1/4-cup dough for each puff. Wet your finger and press down any pointed tops on the cream puffs. Bake for 15 minutes. Lower the oven to 350 degrees F and bake until firm to the touch, another 15 to 20 minutes.
• Finish baking: Shut the oven off. Let the puffs dry inside the oven for 10 minutes. Remove and let cool.
• Assemble: Using a paring knife, hollow out a hole in the bottom of each of the puffs. Pipe the pastry cream into the hole. Alternatively, you can cut the top off each puff and remove any undercooked dough in the center, then fill with the pastry cream and top with the top again. Hold in the refrigerator until ready to garnish and serve.
• Make the chocolate sauce: In a small pot, heat the cream. In a small bowl that fits over the pot of cream (without the bottom of the bowl touching the cream), combine the chocolate with the cinnamon. Use the pot of cream as the bottom of the double boiler and melt the chocolate over the cream. When the chocolate is melted, add the heated cream to the bowl with the chocolate and whisk to combine. Keep warm.
• Top the cream puffs with a sprinkle of confectioners' sugar and some of the chocolate sauce.

CHERRY-CHOCOLATE CREAM PUFFS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. In a small saucepan, bring water, butter, sugar and salt to a rolling boil. Add flour all at once and beat until blended. Cook over medium heat, stirring vigorously until mixture pulls away from sides of pan and forms a ball. Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes., Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition until smooth. Continue beating until mixture is smooth and shiny., Drop dough by scant 1/4 cupfuls 3 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake 30-35 minutes or until puffed, very firm and golden brown. Remove to wire racks. Split puffs open. Pull out and discard soft dough from inside tops and bottoms. Cool puffs completely on a wire rack. , Let whipped topping stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring sugar and milk to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir until sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat to low; stir in chocolate until melted. Transfer to a large bowl. Cool to room temperature, about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Fold in whipped topping. , Just before serving, fill each cream puff with a heaping tablespoonful of cherries; top with chocolate filling. Replace tops. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Refrigerate leftovers.

CHEERY CHERRY CREAM PUFFS WITH A.1. GANACHE DRIZZLE #A1

Steps:

• Bake puff pastry shells at 425 degrees F. for 18 minutes according to package directions. Use a fork to remove the top halves and soft pastry underneath. Allow to cool.
• Bring 1 cup heavy cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat. Stir in A.1. Origianal Sauce and chocolate chips. Stir until well blended and smooth. Set aside.
• To make the filling, place remaining 1/2 cup heavy cream in a medium bowl. Beat on high speed. Once cream begins to thicken, add cherry juice, vanilla and sugar. Continue to whip until cream is thick and stiff. Fold in Maraschino cherries.
• To assemble, spoon cream mixture onto pastry shell bottoms. Place pastry tops over cream. Drizzle with the A.1. ganache. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Serve immediately and enjoy!

CREAM PUFFS WITH CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• PASTRY: Heat water, shortening and salt over high heat to a boil; remove from heat. Add flour and stir vigorously. Reduce to medium heat. Cook, stirring briskly for about 1 minute or until mixture comes away from the sides of the pot in a smooth ball; transfer to a mixing bowl.
• Mix dough on low for 1 minute to cool slightly. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until dough is shiny and smooth.
• Drop level tablespoons of dough onto prepared sheets. Bake, one sheet at a time, for 25 minutes or until golden and puffed. (do not open oven during baking). Transfer puffs to a wire rack to cool completely 30-40 minutes.
• CHOCOLATE SAUCE: Blend sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips and coffee over medium heat; cook stirring until melted and glossy. Cool to room temperature. Reserve.
• Poke a hole in the bottom of each cream puff or slice in half. Insert nozzle of whipped cream canister or tip of piping bag to fill each puff. Drizzle with chocolate sauce and sprinkle with icing sugar, just before serving.
• TIP: Reserve any leftover chocolate sauce in the refrigerator for up to one week.