Religieuse au Cafe : I choux choux choux you!
Choux pastry:
-
Water 213g
-
Milk 265g
-
Sugar 10g
-
Salt 10g
-
Butter 200g
-
Flour 265g
-
8 Eggs
Pastry cream:
-
Milk 650ml
-
Eggs Yolks 165g
-
Sugar 165g
-
Cornflour 65g
-
Butter 65g
-
1 teaspoon coffee powder
Icing
-
3 cups icing sugar, sifted
-
1 teaspoon coffee powder
-
Approximately 4 tablespoons boiling water
To decorate
-
Large silver cachous
-
Whipped cream
Step 1 - To make the pastry cream, place milk and coffee powder in a saucepan. Heat gently until the milk almost boils. Remove from the heat, whisk the yolks, sugar and cornflour in a bowl until thick and pale. Gradually whisk in the warm milk. Return mixture to same saucepan and stir over medium heat until the custard boils. Spread over a tray to cool rapidly. Cover the surface of the custard closely with plastic wrap to prevent a skin forming, at 55°C transfer to a bowl and stir through butter and refrigerate to cool completely.
Step 2 - Preheat the oven to 210 degrees celsius convection. Lightly grease 4 oven trays and set aside. Combine the butter with water, sugar, milk & salt in a large heavy-based saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and using a wooden spoon quickly beat in the flour. Return to the heat and continue beating until the mixture comes together and leaves the side of the pan. Cook, beating over low heat for 1-2 minutes to cook flour. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
Step 3 - Transfer to a large bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat the mixture to release any more heat. Gradually add the eggs, one at a time. Beat well between each addition until all the eggs have been added and the mixture is thick and glossy. Beat for a few more minutes, or until thickened.
Step 4 - Spoon the choux mixture, in batches, into a piping bag fitted with a 1.25-1.5cm nozzle. Cover remaining pastry with cling film. Pipe mixture onto trays about 3cm x 2cm high leaving room for spreading. Bake for 20-25 minutes, in batches, or until firm and hollow when tapped. Prick a small hole in the bottom with a skewer to release the steam and return to the oven to completely dry out for 5 minutes. Transfer puffs to wire racks.
Step 5 - Put custard into a piping bag with a nozzle less than 1cm. Poke a small hole in the base of each puff and fill with custard.
Step 6 - Make the icing by placing sifted icing sugar in a bowl. In a small bowl mix the coffee with 1 tablespoon of the boiling water. Then add this to the icing sugar and stir until smooth. Add more water 1 tablespoon at a time until it is a dippable consistency that is not too runny.
Step 7 - Dip the puff bases in enough icing to coat and place icing side up on a tray lined with baking paper. Place a smaller choux on top of the larger choux and top with a large silver cachou.
Step 8 - Pipe lines up the side of the smaller choux bun on top.
N.B. The puffs and custard can be made separately ahead of time and can keep in an airtight container for 3-4 days. If the puffs become soggy you can refresh them in the oven by baking them on 180C for 5 minutes until they become crisp again.
Recipe adapted from Adriano Zumbo on Masterchef