I'll always associate these bite-size cream puffs with my son Taraz, who has been stranded here for a few days due to the snowstorm.I was reviewing a food magazine from Metropolitan Market that featured holiday desserts - all of them featuring chocolate - he saw a photo and said, "Oh Mom, could you make those?" The photograph showed a French croquembouche, a tower of puffs all glued together with frosting. With a little modification, I knew Taraz could have a taste thrill that evening ... if I only had whipping cream, powdered sugar, unsalted butter, and Droste Cocoa Powder.
When Taraz asked if we could make them I knew someone was going to have to go to the store for the ingredients.
We were in the middle of a winter storm, with a good six inches of snow on the ground, streets unplowed, traffic almost at a standstill.George was recovering from a bout with the flu over the weekend, but he and Taraz went to Fred Meyer to get the ingredients. While they did the shopping, I tidied up the kitchen, did some dishes, read the recipe thoroughly and underlined some key words.
It has been years since I made cream puffs, and to get them to puff requires careful attention to procedures and details. I'll post the basic ingredients here:
Cream Puff Pastry:
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup whole milk
1/2 stick unsalted butter
2 Tbs sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbs flour
2 Tbs unsweetened Dutch Process Cocoa
4 large eggs
Coffee Whip Cream:
1 cup cold heavy cream
2 tsp instant coffee granules
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Chocolate Glaze:
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 stick butter, unsalted
3 Tbs corn syrup
2 oz chocolate unsweetened
1 tsp vanilla extract
I'll post this recipe for baking directions. I discovered variations in some of the procedures when I researched a variety of recipes. To get the maximum lift to the dough it is important to have a very hot oven for the first 10 minutes, then a lower temperature to bake them to a nice shiny brown.
I sure had fun making them, and I froze a few for New Years, when Ruhiyyih will be home for a few days.
