I know that when it comes to deals like these blows, they can seem unattainable. I’m here to tell you that, they really aren’t. Puff pastries are made with simple pantry staples that when combined become a classic in pastry making. They require several steps to make, but don’t be intimidated, you can do it.
Ingredients
Puff pastry: (Pate a Choux)
1 cup of water
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 teaspoons of sugar
1/8 teaspoon of salt
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
5 large eggs Use one egg to wash the eggs
1 teaspoon of cold water
Pastry cream:
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
1/4 cup of cornstarch
1/16 teaspoon salt
2 cups of whole or half and half milk
4 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425°F. Lines 2 of baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats. Set aside.
In a medium sized saucepan, bring water, butter, sugar and salt to a boil.
Remove from heat, mix in flour. Return to the burner at medium height and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the flour begins to peel from the sides and forms a film on the bottom of the pan. The pate a choux should form a ball.
Scrape it in a mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat the dough for 1 minute at medium speed to cool it slightly before adding 4 eggs one at a time. Stop after each egg to scrape the sides of the bowl. The dough can be separated after each egg is added, but it will come together when beaten.
Mix until the dough is smooth and shiny and the eggs are completely incorporated.
Use a pipe bag with a flat tip to make 2-inch diameter rounds in the baking sheets. Leave 2 inches between each puff. Alternatively, use one tablespoon using 2 tablespoons of dough for each round. The rounds should be approximately 2 inches high. Leave 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
Beat the remaining egg with water. Gently soften the ends of the dough with your finger dipped in the washed egg and then brush each puff pastry with the remaining washed egg.
Bake for 15 minutes and then lower the oven temperature to 375°F. Bake for 10-15 minutes more or until golden brown and sound hollow when tapped gently.
Pierce each puff on the side, using the tip of a knife or a skewer to allow the steam to escape. You will not need a large slit, just a small, unobtrusive hole. Cool completely on the baking sheet.
To make the pastry cream filling: Beat the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium sized heavy bottom pan. Beat the milk and egg yolks in a glass measuring cup; add it to the pan along with the butter and bring to a boil over medium heat. Bring to a boil for 1 minute, while continuing to beat; then remove from heat and add vanilla.
Pass the pastry cream through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. Cover it with a plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the cream to prevent the skin from forming. Refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours and up to 2 days. Just before use, whip it until smooth.
To fill, use a sharp knife to cut the balls in the middle leaving one side intact. Fill the pastries with pastry cream using an open star tip or a spoonful.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve cold.
Notes
Both the puff pastry shells and the custard can be made 2 days in advance. Store separately, with the pastry cream refrigerated in the refrigerator and the puff pastry at room temperature in an airtight container.
Unfilled puff pastry shells can also be cooled and frozen. Defrost in the refrigerator. They can also be re-cracked in an oven at 425°F for a few minutes before filling, if desired. Watch carefully.
The buns can be filled up to one hour before serving.
You can also use one tablespoon to make rounds, leaving about 2 tablespoons of dough for each one.