Chocolate Cream Puff Ring Food

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.

CHOCOLATE CREAM PUFFS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet lightly with some shortening. Put beaters into the freezer to chill.
• Combine water and shortening in a saucepan and bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Add flour, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt all at once and reduce heat to low. Stir mixture vigorously until it leaves the sides of the pan and forms a ball, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes.
• Beat in eggs, one at a time, with chilled beaters, beating vigorously after each addition until batter is smooth and glossy. Drop dough into 6 mounds on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until puffed and dry, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and pierce the side of each puff with a knife to allow steam to escape. Transfer onto a wire rack to cool completely, abut 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine sugar, cocoa powder and whipping cream in a bowl for the filling. Beat with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until needed.
• Cut cooled puffs in half horizontally. Fill with cocoa whipped cream.
• For the glaze, pour whipping cream into a small pot and heat until hot. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips until melted. Allow to cool slightly. Drizzle chocolate glaze over the cream puffs and refrigerate until serving.

CHOCOLATE-FILLED CREAM PUFFS

Steps:

• In a saucepan over medium heat, bring water and butter to a boil. Add flour and salt all at once; stir until a smooth ball forms. Remove from the heat; let stand 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Beat until smooth. , Cover a baking sheet with foil; grease foil. Drop batter into six mounds onto foil. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°; bake 30 minutes longer. Remove puffs to a wire rack. Immediately cut a slit in each for steam to escape. , In a bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar and cocoa, beating until almost stiff. Split puffs and remove soft dough. Add filling; replace tops. Melt chocolate and butter; stir in sugar and water. Drizzle over puffs. Chill.

CREAM PUFF RING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425°F Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and have ready 1 gallon-size ziptop bag and a pastry bag fitted with a large star piping tip. Draw an 8-in. circle on the parchment paper; turn paper over.
• Pastry:
• Bring milk, water, butter, sugar and salt to boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour all at once; stir energetically with a wooden spoon until dough comes together in a shiny mass (bottom of pan will be covered with a thin film of flour). Cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer hot dough to a large bowl.
• Using a sturdy mixer, beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until each is blended (dough will be thick and shiny). Spoon warm dough into a ziptop bag; cut 3/4 inches off 1 corner.
• Pipe a ring about 1 inches thick on circle on parchment paper. Pipe a second ring inside first, just touching first ring. Pipe a third ring on top where rings meet. (If there's extra dough, pipe mounds for cream puffs or strips for eclairs.)
• Bake 20 minutes, reduce oven temperature to 375°F and bake 20 to 25 minutes more until puffed, brown and firm. Transfer sheet to a wire rack; let ring cool completely. (Ring will sink; that's OK.).
• Strain cream into a measuring cup, adding more chilled heavy cream if needed to make 1 1/3 cups. Pour into a large bowl, add 1/4 cup sugar and beat with mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks form when beaters are lifted. Stir remaining 2 Tbsp sugar into crème fraîche; gently fold into whipped cream.
• Using a serrated knife and gentle sawing motion, slice top off pastry ring. Pull out and discard soft dough inside base. Carefully transfer base to a serving platter.
• Spoon cream filling into prepared pastry bag. Pipe large rosettes close together into base. Pipe another row of rosettes on first row, piping top rosettes between bottom rosettes. Add pastry top. Refrigerate while making Glaze.
• Glaze:
• Microwave chocolate, cream and corn syrup in small bowl on high, stirring every 10 seconds until chocolate melts and glaze is smooth. Spread on top of pastry ring; sprinkle with almonds. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours before serving.

CHOCOLATE CREAM PUFF RING

Steps:

• CREAM PUFF. Preheat oven to 400°F Lightly butter a cookie sheet, set aside.
• In medium saucepan over high heat, heat water with butter, sugar, and salt until mixture boils. Turn heat to low and add flour. Stir vigorously over low heat until dough leaves the side of the pan in a smooth compact ball about 1 minute.
• Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition; continue beating until dough is smooth and satiny (it should have a sheen to it). You can also transfer the dough to your KA mixer and use your paddle to beat in each egg.
• Drop heaping spoonfulls of dough in a large oval, making sure each dropful touches the one next to it (this is what will hold your ring together once baked).
• Bake 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and firm. Pierce the ring with a skewer or narrow knife in about 4 or 5 places and let cook for a few more minutes (this allows steam to escape, which keeps the ring crisper).
• Cool on a rack. Ring can be prepared 1 day ahead and wrapped when cool.
• FILLING. Prepare while baking the ring or earlier in the day.
• Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in chocolate and vanilla.
• Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Continue to beat until sugar is thoroughly dissolved. Chill for a least one hour.
• GLAZE. In top of a double boiler, melt butter and chocolate together, stirring until smooth (you can use a microwave).
• ASSEMBLY. Slice cream puff in half horizontally, gently move the top and set aside, fill the bottom of the ring, then replace the top of the ring. Drizzle glaze over the top of the ring. Chill until ready to serve.
• Serves 6. Double the recipe for 12 servings.
• For bite size puffs (great for buffets) use a teaspoon or small ice cream scoop, puffs should be about the size of a walnut or a little smaller. To fill- snip open tops and pipe in filling, Drizzle on Glaze.
• I have made slightly larger puffs and served 3 on a plate, or divided dough into 6 puffs for a full size serving.

CHOCOLATE CREAM PUFFS

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, bring water, butter and salt to a boil Add flour and cocoa all at once, stir until a smooth ball forms.
• Remove from the heat, let stand 5 minutes.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Beat until smooth and shiny.
• Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls 3 inch apart onto greased baking sheets.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until set and and brown.
• Remove to wire racks.
• Immediately split puffs oven, remove and discard soft dough from inside.
• Cool puffs completely.
• In a medium mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until fluffy.
• Fold in whipped cream and strawberries Fill bottom halfs of puffs.
• Replace tops and serve immediately.

CHOCOLATE CREAM PUFFS

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, bring water, butter and salt to a boil. Add the flour and cocoa all at once; stir until a smooth ball forms. Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat until smooth and shiny., Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls 3 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 400° for 30-35 minutes or until set and browned. Remove to wire racks. Immediately split puffs open; remove and discard soft dough from inside. Cool puffs completely., In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Fold in whipped cream and strawberries. Fill bottom halves of puffs; replace tops. Serve immediately.

CREAM PUFFS, CHOUX PASTRIES, BALLS OR RING VARIETY

Steps:

• Heat the butter and water gently in a saucepan, bring to the boil and remove from the heat.
• Quickly tip in all the flour and beat to the smooth paste with a wooden spoon so that it forms a ball in the center of the pan.
• Leave to cool slightly for several minutes, (This is important!).
• Cover the baking sheet (cookie sheet) with baking paper, and then wet the paper slightly with cold water so that you have some little droplets still on the sheet--this will help the pastry not to catch on the bottom and stick at all.
• Add all the beaten eggs a little bit at a time until the paste gets a glossy sheen on it, if it's still a little "liquid-y" then you haven't beaten it in long enough, When it comes back to the thick paste it's ready to be put in spoonfuls into the baking sheets (cookie sheets).
• Spoon the paste onto baking sheets in the form of a the numbers of the clock-face, lifting the top of each mound into a peak and joining the balls together to create a circle.
• Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 45-50 minutes.
• Once cooked, carefully cut the "ring" in half horizontally and lift off the top half of the ring. (I use a wire cooling rack to hold it against so it doesn't break). Leave to cool on the wire rack.
• Fill with: Traditionally it would be filled with Confectioners' custard, but even quicker and easier (and one of my favourites) make a very basic custard, but use a little less custard powder than the packet recommends, and add lemon juice to taste, cover the bottom half of the cream puff ring with custard, layer on the peaches or apricots, add a little more custard to fill up spaces.
• Put the choux pastry "top" back on, drizzle melted chocolate in "zig-zag" style over the top.
• OR another favorite variation: Heap fresh strawberries into the bottom part of the ring, cover with whipped cream, put the "top" back on again and drizzle melted chocolate over the top of it all --.
• Alternatively: spoon the paste onto the baking sheet in little balls, and cut a small slit in them when they are cooked to release the steam and fill with anything you like: whipped cream, custard etc.
• The little balls can then be dipped into chocolate for WOW presentation and ultimate yumminess :).
• However you present the final result, enjoy!