Tag: dessert

Cream Puffs

Ingredients – puffs

  • 1 stick of butter (1/2C)
  • 1C of water
  • pinch of salt (1/8 tsp)
  • 1C of flour
  • 4 eggs

Instructions

  • Let all ingredients come to room temperature
  • In a pot, add butter, water, salt. Bring to a boil, wait until butter melted, then add flour
  • Use a wooden spoon, stir vigorously until flour absorbs all the liquid
  • Continue stirring until the flour stops sticking to the pot
  • Remove pot from burner and continue to stir until it cools off to the point where there is no steam
  • Pour batter into a stand mixer and let the machine runs twice around the bowl, on low, to let the steam escapes
  • Add eggs, one at a time, while machine is running, until you see the batter has an even consistency
  • Use a spatula to scrape edges of bowl and let machine runs until batter has an even consistency
  • With a piping bag, fold edges over the cup, and fill bag 2/3 full and twist the top
  • Preheat oven to 375º
  • Butter the baking sheets (or use silicon mats)
  • When piping batter, squeeze straight down until cream puff is the desired size and swirl it off to finish the puff.
  • Space cream puffs 1.5″ apart
  • Brush egg wash on top (1 egg yolk + 1/2 tbs of milk or water), and wipe excess wash around the puffs
  • Bake trays one at a time for 35 mins
  • When done, poke each puff with a skewer
  • Turn oven off and let oven cool (leave door ajar) for 5-10 mins
  • Let cool on rack
  • * Do not open oven until completely done

Ingredients – Custard cream filling

  • 6 egg yolks
  • 1/4 C of cornstarch
  • 1C heavy cream (or combination w/ milk for 1C)
  • 1/2C granulated sugar
  • 1/2tsp of vanilla extract
  • orange zest (optional)

Instructions

  • In a medium sized bowl, separate egg yolks
  • Add cornstarch
  • Wisk them together until there are no clumps of cornstarch left
  • Set aside
  • In a medium sized pot, combine heavy cream and sugar, heat on medium (level 5) just before boiling
  • Use a ladle and scoop half of heavy cream mixture into egg mixture
  • Mix together until even & pour egg/heavy cream mixture back into the pot w/ the other half of heavy cream mixture
  • Lower heat (level 3/4), and simmer until bubbles form
  • Stir frequently
  • Turn off heat and let sit ofr 1-2 mins & keep stirring
  • Add 1/2tsp of vanilla extract and orange zest (optional)
  • Remove from heat
  • Strain (optional) if there are clumps of cornstarch
  • Transfer creeam mixture into separate container
  • Thinly slice 1/2 Tbs of butter on top of cream mixture
  • Let cool for 5-10 mins
  • Place a plastic saran wrap on top of container & press wrap to the cream to prevent condensation forming on top
  • Set aside for at least 30 mins or until completely cool before refrigeration
  • Fill puffs with custard

Custard for fruit tarts

by Suzy Kupetz

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 C cream
  • 3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
  • 1 1/2 C sugar
  • 1 T vanilla extract
  • pinch of nutmeg

Instructions

  • Pour cream into eggs and blend well
  • Add sugar, vanilla extract, nutmeg
  • Each tart shell needs 1 1/2 – 2C of mixture
  • Pour into pre-baked pie crust
  • Bake until set, 350º, bottom rack
  • Let it cool, then refrigerate 2-4 hrs
  • May be frozen once baked
  • Top with fruit slices
  • Glaze with apricot glaze

Apricot Glaze

  • 18 oz ( 1 1/2C) apricot jam, melted, strained
  • Boil again
  • Add 1 envelope of unflavored gelatin, softened in 1/4 C kirsch or water

Almond Biscotti

Adapted, slightly, from Cooks Illustrated

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 C (10 ounces) of unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 C of almond flour (instead of regular flour)
  • 1 teaspoon of baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon of salt
  • 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter (1/2 stick), softened but still cool
  • ½ to ⅔ C of sugar to taste (instead of 1 C )
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon of almond extract
  • ¾ cup whole almonds (or hazelnuts) without skins, toasted, cooled and chopped coarse
  • 2 tablespoons of orange zest (from 1 orange), minced
  • add Grand Marnier to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Bake Once

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees;
  2. line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or use non-stick cooking spray).
  3. Whisk dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
  4. In a separate large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and smooth (about 2 minutes) either by hand or with an electric hand mixer.
  5. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing to combine, and then add in the vanilla and almond extracts.
  6. With spoon, stir in hazelnuts and orange zest.  Sprinkle dry ingredients over the batter, and fold in gently, until just mixed.
  7. Divide the dough in half and turn each portion out onto the prepared baking sheet.  Using floured hands, shape each mound into a 13-inch by 2-inch loaf making sure to work quickly.  Leave about 3-inches of space between the loaves on the baking sheet. Pat loaves smooth.
  8. Bake about 35 minutes, or until just starting to crack, rotating the pan half way through baking.
  9. Remove from oven to wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.

Bake Twice

  1. Lower the oven to 325 degrees.  Transfer cooled loaves to a cutting board (a wide metal spatula will work best).  Cut diagonally with a serrated knife into 3/8-inch slices. Lay slices 1/2-inch apart on baking sheet (cut side up) and return to oven to finish baking.
  2. Bake for about 15-20 minutes (up to 25 mins if you want very crispy biscotti), flipping cookies over once, until crisp and golden on both sides.  Remove from oven and transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to two weeks – 1 month (longer if you don’t mind a little stale cookies)

 

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