Pâte choux Challenge

No, i haven't forgot to renew the blog... just been quite busy with my job and of course working on my thesis (Yep, i'm a full college boy) but if you follow me on my instagram you should know that i been baking really often this past months. Also, do you guys realize what date it is? Well it supposed to be the day that i arrive to the marvelous London city. In a perfect world I'll be there just resting on my hotel and eager to see new places and try new things however is not a perfect world, is my world and i must say. My world SUCKS! I'm so trapped on my country that is almost like a joke. And after look for my plane tickets for almost 5 months and discover that is impossible to find it.. i just gave up to the possibilities to travel this year to that place.

Also, it supposed to be my Graduation. Sucks when you see your friends pics on facebook and twitter and realize that you are not there sharing that moment with them. So in order to forget bit how Sucking is my life i decide to make some Pâte Choux. At the beginning i thought "Well this is going to be a Flop just like the Macaroon Challenge" However I'm really proud of myself, is not complicated once you know your oven and having patience is the key.

For the pâte choux:
250g water (1 cup)
110g butter cubed
pinch of salt and sugar
140g all purpose flour (1 and 1/4 cup)
3 to 5 eggs (you have to check the dough's consistency)

For the filling

2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup natural cocoa powder
4 teaspoons cornstarch
3 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon fine salt

for the chocolate glaze:
60g bittersweet chocolate
2 tbsp heavy cream
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp water

Directions

Preheat oven at 400F.
In a pan add water, cubed cold butter, pinch of salt and sugar. Bring this to a medium heat and as soon as the butter melts, turn off the heat and add the flour stirring it constantly until it forms a mass. Bring this dough back to heat and dry it out (dessécher) for one more minute or until the dough starts to form a very thin layer around the pan.
Using a whisk, whisk the dough until it cools, add one egg at a time and when the dough reaches a ribbon stage it's ready (ribbon stage is when the paddle attachment is lifted and the dough is heavy enough to fall down creating a ribbon connecting the whisk to the bowl).
Pipe the 1in round choux in a baking pan with a silpat or parchment paper on, press down the peak created and bake the dough until in gains a brown color (around 30 minutes). When it looks brown turn your oven down to 300F and leave your oven door ajar (put a wooden spoon on the door to leave it partially open). Let this choux dry until there is no more humidity inside (around 10 more minutes).

For the Filling

Put 1 1/2 cups of the milk, the sugar, and the cocoa in a non reactive saucepan. Bring to a simmer, over medium-high heat. Remove from the heat.
Meanwhile, whisk the remaining 1/2 cup of the milk, cornstarch, salt, egg yolks, and vanilla in a bowl. Gradually whisk the hot milk into the egg mixture. Return to the saucepan and cook over medium-high heat whisking constantly, until the pudding comes to a full boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, and continue whisking until thick, about 2 or 3 minutes more. Let it cool, put this filling in a pastry bag and pipe it inside the hollow choux (use the empty pastry tip to open a perfect hole in the base of the choux).

For the Glaze

Heat the cream in a pan until reach a light simmer, then add into a bowl with the chopped Chocolate and whisk until the chocolate is soft and completely melted. Add the honey and the water and Wisk it all until combine all the ingredients. Dip the surface of the choux in the chocolate glaze and let it sit to dry.

The magic of these little cuties is that you can fill them with everything you want, why not a creme Legeré o a Raspberry cream. also you can use this recipe to make Eclairs. Personally i'm going to make a huge Croquembouche for the holidays or at least that is the plan.