Right now I am learning the swimming stroke, "butterfly." As I am a very good swimmer, I didn't expect it to be so difficult to learn. In fact, if Daughter #1 and Daughter #2 were not learning how to do it, I would probably skip it all together. However, because both girls are learning it, I felt a bit like I had no choice but to learn it as well.
On most levels I feel a bit like an old dog trying to learn a new trick. After all, I have been swimming well over 30 years and am very comfortable with all of the other strokes. Learning a new one at the age of 39 1/2 seems like taking an old dog, set in her ways, and trying to make her beg.
But watching Daughter #1 who is not even 7 years old swimming the stroke is strong motivation. It's even stronger motivation since Daughter #1 is at the stage where she can get sassy and say things like, "Oh mom....you don't know how to do it? Well, I DO." So I've been diligently learning and practicing the stroke twice a week and to put it frankly, I'm exhausted. I haven't even put the kick and the arms together yet. I am still doing each thing separately and doing laps of them over and over. The dolphin kick is becoming more natural and fluid but the arms remain a bit rough and lacking in finesse. I have not put the two together yet. But I know that when I actually get it together, I will be thrilled and feel so accomplished. And I'll float (sort of) in the water and fly through the air.
Now a great cream puff, is made up of two parts, similar to the butterfly being made of a great kick and great arms. Each part on their own isn't so difficult to make, but each part must be made with some precision and attention to detail. When put together....wow. Deliciousness. I am not one to really to toot my own horn, but these cream puffs do get me a TON of compliments. I don't make them often (the amount of time and concentration to get them to come out well is often not readily available) but when I do friends and family really just go nuts. It is not too sweet and simply just good eats.
Before you proceed, know that you have a three main steps - pastry cream (which you should make the night before), cream puff shells (which you have to make the day of) and whipping cream (which you should make right before serving.) It will require a certain level of concentration, so I will tell you to practice a few times on family and close friends before you really try to make it for others.
Cream Puffs with Vanilla Bean Filling
Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream
adapted from The Silver Palate Cookbook
2 cups milk
1 vanilla bean pod, split, and seeds scraped
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon sweet butter
Heat milk with scraped vanilla beans and empty pod in a heavy saucepan right before boiling, but at the point where you see steam rising from the milk.
While milk is heating, whisk sugar and flour together in a stainless-steel mixing bowl. Place mixing bowl over water in a pot, and bring to a boil.. (double boiler)
When milk is heated, remove skin and slowly pour milk through a strainer into the flour and sugar, whisking constantly. Cook over simmering water, stirring, until mixture lightly coats the back of the spoon, about 10 minutes.
In a separate bowl beat together egg yolks. Add hot milk mixture to the egg yolks a scoop at a time, to temper the eggs. Stir the milk into the eggs quickly. Add several more spoonfuls to the egg mixture and keep mixing. After egg mixture is warmed up, then add the entire bowl to the hot milk and whisk rapidly. Stir constantly until mixture heavily coats the back of the spoon, about 10 minutes more. Remove from heat.
Add butter and mix well. Send mixture through a strainer to get any stray bits of cooked egg.
Cover top with a light coating of butter to prevent formation of a skin. Cover well and chill overnight. Makes 2 1/2 cups pastry cream.
Cream Puff Pastry (Pate a choux)
from Cooking A to Z by California Culinary Academy
3/8 cup of water and 3/8 cup of milk OR 3/4 cup of water (same amount of liquid - just using half milk and half water or all water)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unbleached white bread flour, sifted
3 eggs
1 egg beaten for egg wash. (NOT to be put into the pastry)
Preheat oven to 425. Place water, butter sugar and salt in a large saucepan; bring to boil over low heat. The mixture should be heated slowly so butter is just melted when water reaches a boil. When mixture boils, remove from heat immediately and add flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon. Return to medium heat and stir until the mixture pulls away from sides of pan and forms a ball (about 30 seconds), leaving a white film on pan.
Remover form heat; cool 5 minutes. Add eggs (3 total), one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. The paste should look smooth and shiny but be stiff enough to hold its shape when piped or dropped onto a baking sheet.
Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Use medium scoop to portion out 15 to 16 even scoops of pastry. Alternatively, you can use a pastry bag fitted with a non ornamented tip and pipe the pastry onto parchment. (fussier and more complicated.) Brush with egg wash.
Bake at 425 for 15 minutes; reduce heat to 400 F and continue baking for another 15 minutes. After 15 minutes are up, take out the cream puffs and make a few small slits on the side of each puff to allow steam to escape. Turn OFF oven and return cream puffs to the oven for 10 minutes. Prop oven door slightly ajar with a wooden spoon. Cool cream puffs on wire racks.
Assembly
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
Pastry Cream
Cream Puff Shells
With either a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip cream until it begins to thicken. Add sugar and continue beating until cream holds its shape on the beaters and forms peaks. Do NOT overbeat..or you'll have butter.
Remove skin from pastry cream (if any) and give it a good stir. Carefully fold about half the whipping cream into the pastry cream to lighten the pastry cream. After the mixture is fully incorporated, add more whipped cream if you want a lighter textured cream. Scoop mixture into a ziploc bag with the corner cut, or into a pastry bag fitted with a non ornamental tip.
Using a serrated knife, cut the tops off of the cream puff shells. Fill cream puffs with cream.
Sprinkle with confectioners sugar if so desired. Serve.
Printable recipe
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