I have always loved cooking choux pastry. It is so easy to do and can be done using just one saucepan.,
I always had flour and eggs in my kitchen cupboards. So, it was so easy just to whip up the choux pastry for profiteroles. This was a delicious treat for my two sons when they arrived home from school. I also enjoyed the eclairs, but my waistline didn’t. So I just had one profiterole for myself without the cream while they tucked in.
I am always fascinated as to the origins of particular cakes and pastries. On looking up the history of profiteroles, I discovered two interesting facts. The first is, many historians surmise the choux pastry per se dates back to the Italian cook Pantanelli. This particular chef worked for Queen Catherine de Medici of the late 16th century.
However, the crème puff choux pastry was perfected by a French Chef, Antonin Careme. The pastry is used for those mouthwatering Profiteroles.
One interesting point is the name of this scrumptious pastry originates from the French word ‘choux’ for cabbage because of the cream-filled puffs’ shape.
So enjoy using this very simple recipe for delicious pastries.
RECIPE FOR CHOUX PASTRY & CHOCOLATE ECLAIRS.
Ingredients
60 grams/2 oz of plain flour
50 grams/1.7 oz of butter
150ml/¼ pint of water.
2 beaten eggs
Method
1, Sift salt and flour together.
2. Put water into the saucepan and add butter – slowly melt these two ingredients and then bring to the boil.
Switch off the heat and pour the flour into the mixture of water, flour and beaten eggs.
Stir until the mixture becomes a soft ball. Cool slightly by removing from heat. Add the beaten eggs beating briskly until the mixture is firm enough to form soft peaks as you lift with a spoon.
Shape as you wish. I used the shape for chocolate eclairs.
Bake in over mark 6 , 400 f /200 c for 10 minutes. After that, increase the heat to gas mark 7, 425 f /220 C and bake for another 15-20 minutes.
When baked, pierce the pastry to release any steam.
Coat with melted chocolate, and when hardened, fill with whipped double cream to your taste.
I DO HOPE YOU ENJOY THEM.
If you love a suspenseful Regency romance as much as I do, then I am sure you will love my novel: ‘Lady Lydia’s Plight’. The book is available in both Kindle and paperback versions at AMAZON UK and AMAZON US as well as various other markets.
The Duke of Medhampton invited Lady Lydia Fowler and Lady Olivia Faversham and their families to a week-long round of festivities. It would be an exciting week of hunting, with dancing and soirees in the evenings. As it was the beginning of the Summer Season, the guests would include an influx of debutantes with handsome dowries and suiters with suitable titles.
On the first morning of their stay, to Lady Lydia’s horror, she discovers her dear friend Lady Olivia brutally murdered in her bed. Lord Sebastian Elton, the fiancé of the slain young woman, is distraught. Overcome with grief, he vows to find and kill the fiend who took the life of his beloved Olivia.
I hope you enjoyed this post. If so, then check out my other many posts or my website:
