Dessert, Mother's Day

Cream Puffs with {Vanilla} Pastry Cream

May 10, 2011

It’s a day or two late – but oh well! I hope all the mother’s out there had a wonderful sunday! I know my momma did – because I made sure she did!

We had a nice little brunch celebration with our family, and then over to Adam’s parents for dinner, and then to my baseball game! Did I mention I was playing again? I’m so glad I decided to play. It’s been a lot of fun and the girls on my team are awesome.

Anyways! Back to Mother’s Day. We planned out a little brunch action – me and Alysha that is. Although, my brother surprised us all with his mad poached egg skills! I for one am no egg maker. Mainly because I don’t eat eggs, I usually avoid them because they make me feel sick due to a slight allergy. Plus I am a terrible fried egg cook, scrambled I can handle but nothing else. So when my mom requested Eggs Benny for her mom’s day brunch I was a little hesitant! Luckily my brother has become a poached-egg-specialist and saved the day. We had an english muffin, with smoked salmon, provolone cheese, egg and hollandaise sauce! Yummmmm. I ate it, even though I shouldn’t have. I also made little waffles to go with it topped with berries and whipped cream. Needless to say it was a yummmmy brunch!

OF course there needs to be dessert. But, I didn’t think we would be too hungry after all that, so I thought about what we could eat that would be tasty but light and dessert-y. I actually made this last week for the first time as a practice run to make sure I could do it! I found the recipe here, and the first time it worked out perfectly! Althought I only made half the recipe, and when I made the full recipe I had to do it in two batches and the second batch deflated a little, I think maybe the batter sat on the counter too long while the first batch baked?? So maybe i’ll do it one at a time next time.. one half that is. They are not too sweet, just sweet enough and can be made with any flavours.  Just perfect after brunch! I also made some chocolate dipped strawberries.

Whole Wheat Cream Puffs with Vanilla Pastry Cream
recipe slightly adapted from: eatgood4life blog

Ingredients

Small: Yields 45-50
Medium: Yields 35-40
Large: Yields 25 

1 cup water
4 tablespoons butter (4 ounces)
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs

Preheat oven to 425F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper/ baking sheet.

Put water, butter and oil in a medium-size saucepan over medium-high heat and melt. When the butter has melted, add the flour and salt all at once and stir vigorously.  Cook and stir until the mixture forms a ball that doesn’t separate, about 20 seconds.

Remove from the heat and cool for about 5-10 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each one and until the dough is smooth.

Drop heaping tablespoons of dough about 2-inches apart onto a greased baking sheet.  Or transfer the batter to a pastry bag with a round tip and pipe circles about 2-inches in diameter and about 1-inch apart onto baking sheets previously lined with parchment paper. Round off the tops with your finger, so the top is not ‘pointy’ otherwise it will get overly brown.

Bake puffs for about 11-12 minutes at 425 F (medium sized ones, for small ones 10-11 minutes at 425F and 6-7 minutes at 375F). Reduce the temperature to 375 F and bake for an additional 6-8 minutes until they are golden brown and puffy.Turn off the oven and open the door a crack and leave cream puffs inside to cool for 20-30 minutes. Remove the cream puffs from the oven.

Allow to cool completely before cutting in half, and filling with desired cream.
You can fill them with simple whipped cream and strawberries as I did the first time I made them, or this time I made Vanilla Pastry Cream filling, and then topped it with some whipped cream as well and dusted with icing sugar.
Pastry Cream
from Joy of Cooking 75th Anniversary Edition
Ingredients:
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 2 tbs. flour
  • 2 tbs. cornstarch
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 1 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 vanilla bean, or 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Beat first four ingredients in a bowl/stand mixer on high speed until thick and pale yellow, about 2 minutes.

In a saucpan on medium heat bring to simmer milk and vanilla. Remove vanilla bean once finished.

Gradually pour 1/3 of the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking to combine. Scrape the egg mixture back into the pan and cook over low to medium heat, whisking constantly and scraping bottom and corners of pan to prevent scorching, until the custard is thickened and bubbling slightly.

Continue to cook, whisking for about another minute.

Using a clean spatula, screap custard into a bowl. Cover the surface with wax paper or parchment, or plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. let cool, then refrigerate up to two days.

Once filled, keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Enjoy!! What’d you do for mother’s day? Are you a mother?? Were you treated to brunch!?

My momma and I!

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4 Comments

  • Reply Aunt Josie May 10, 2011 at 10:22 PM

    They look so light & puffy, I could hardly believe they were made with whole wheat flour. I will definitely try this recipe. Thanks Alicia; you did a wonderful job of giving your mom a very special Mother’s Day Brunch!

  • Reply Rhiannon {Hey Gorgeous} May 11, 2011 at 6:48 PM

    Oh my goodness these look so tasty and delicious! Send some over to me please? 🙂 xo

    • Reply Alicia June 20, 2011 at 2:37 PM

      Rhi: I would if I could!

  • Reply Lynne June 7, 2011 at 9:28 AM

    these look amazing! it makes me want to go home and bake some right now! thanks for the inspiration…

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