Tiny Choux Puffs Food

PATE A CHOUX PUFFS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a medium saucepan, combine the milk and butter, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the salt, sugar and flour, and stir vigorously with a heatproof spatula. Cook, stirring constantly, until a dense dough forms that pulls away from the side of the pan, about 3 minutes.
• Add the dough to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. On low speed, beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions to make sure everything is evenly mixed.
• Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Using a 1-ounce scoop, drop the dough, 1 inch apart, onto the prepared cookie sheet. Bake until puffed and golden, 35 to 40 minutes. (The puffs should feel light when you pick them up.) Make sure to keep the oven shut until at least the halfway point -- if you open the oven before 20 minutes have elapsed, the puffs will deflate and you won't be able to get the texture back. Remove the puffs from the oven and prick each one on the side to allow the steam to escape. Let cool completely.
• To dip in chocolate: If desired, dip the tops of the puffs in Warm Chocolate Ganache, shaking off the excess. Place on a platter and sprinkle with sliced almonds. Let stand for about 30 minutes, to set the glaze, before eating.
• Heat 1 inch or so of water in a medium saucepan over low heat. Put the chocolate chips and cream in a heatproof bowl that fits snugly into the saucepan without touching the water. Heat, stirring, until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth, about 5 minutes.

TOMATO AND CELERY-INFUSED BEEF CONSOMMé WITH TINY CHOUX PUFFS

Steps:

• Whisk egg whites in a large bowl until foamy and add eggshells. Separately pulse tomatoes and celery in a food processor until coarsely chopped, then add to egg whites. Whisk in beef, salt, and peppercorns.
• Heat veal stock, if jellied, in a 4-quart heavy saucepan just until it becomes liquid, then whisk in beef mixture. Heat over moderately high heat, stirring and scraping bottom constantly with a wooden spoon to prevent egg white from sticking, until stock comes to a simmer (this will take about 20 minutes). Reduce heat and gently simmer broth, without stirring, until all impurities rise to surface and form a crust, and broth underneath is clear, about 30 minutes.
• Ladle broth with crust into a large sieve lined with a double thickness of dampened paper towels set over a large bowl and let all liquid drain through. (If liquid doesn't drain completely, tap edge of sieve repeatedly with a metal spoon to help drain.) Broth should be completely clear; if it's not, repeat procedure with clean dampened paper towels. Discard solids.
• Before serving, bring consommé to a boil and season with salt. Ladle into bowls and top with profiteroles and garnishes.

PETITS CHOUX AU FROMAGE OU GOUGERES (CHEESE PUFFS)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Line 2 aluminum baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Combine the water, olive oil and salt in a saucepan over high heat and bring to boil. Add the sifted flour all at once and stir well.
• Cook the mixture, stirring constantly to break up any lumps, and until the dough begins to come away from the sides of the pan, approximately 5 minutes.
• Immediately transfer the dough to a *mixing bowl of a stand up mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat the dough on medium speed to cool to room temperature.
• *(I used standard mixing bowl and electric beaters.).
• Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each egg is added. You want a stiff but pliable texture to the dough.
• Finally, add the gruyere cheese and black pepper. Continue mixing for 1 minute.
• Using a greased teaspoon, drop the dough 2" apart onto the baking sheet. (You can alternatively use a pastry bag fitted with a plain round tip and pipe the dough into 1" diameter balls 2" apart onto the baking sheet.).
• Bake until golden brown and puffed, about 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to 325 degrees and continue baking the puffs until cooked through, about another 20-25 minutes.