Description
A hint of chai in the cream of these chocolate puffs will make a great surprise for your loved ones and you don't need to know how to pipe to create these.
Ingredients
60 grams / 1/2 cup - 1 tablespoon bread flour
10 grams / 1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder
14 grams / 1 tablespoon superfine/caster sugar
130 milliliters / 1/2 cup + 2 teaspoons cold water
50 grams / 1.75 ounces butter, cubed
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Chai Cream Filling
28 grams / 2 tablespoons superfine/caster sugar
1 heaped teaspoon loose chai tea
120 milliliters / 1/2 cup heavy cream
Chocolate Icing
50 grams / 1/2 cup confectioner's/icing sugar
5 grams / 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
14 grams / 3 teaspoons milk
1/4 teaspoon sea or kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200ºC/390F and lightly grease a baking tray, pour a little water over the top and tap to remove excess water leaving only water beads remaining on the tray.
- Sift the flour and cocoa powder into a bowl, add the sugar and set aside.
- Place the water and butter in a saucepan over medium heat until the butter has melted and the mixture is simmering.
- Remove from the heat and pour the chocolate flour mix into the liquid, stirring swiftly to combine with a spatula or wooden spoon until the dough is smooth and no longer sticks to the side of the saucepan.
- Add a quarter of the eggs, beating to combine until smooth.
- Continue adding the eggs in the same manner until they are fully incorporated and the dough is smooth.
- Either spoon a heaped tablespoon of the pastry onto the prepared baking tray and shape into a smooth round shape or place the dough into a piping bag and pipe evenly onto your prepared baking tray.
- Place in the oven and bake for 12 minutes, increase the heat to 220ºC/430F, turn the tray around and bake for a further 14 minutes or until they are all lightly golden.
- Remove from the heat and place on a cooling rack, allowing to cool fully.
- To make the whipped cream, blend the sugar and loose chai tea until fine. Pour the cream into a bowl and add the chai sugar.
- Whip until soft peaks have just formed.
- Carefully slice each pastry half way near the base where it has split while baking and pry open slightly, filling with a heaped tablespoon of cream, closing back up again to hide the cut.
- Place all the icing ingredients in a bowl and whip until well combined and smooth. Place in a microwave for 10 seconds (or a double boiler until the icing has the consistency of syrup).
- Remove and pour an even amount over the top of each cream puff.
- Devour immediately.
Notes
Traditional choux pastry: For the more traditional Choux Pastry without any twists, you can find the recipe here.
Twist on this chocolate chai flavor: If you prefer fruity flavors and have some freeze dried raspberries or strawberries on hand, you could easily sub this instead of the chocolate to make these less chocolate heavy.
Flavored cream options: The flavored cream is my twist to my significant other, so if you hate tea you could switch out and add some ground coffee to the whipped cream or jam or whatever your loved one prefers. Make these with the intention to surprise them and enjoy together while hanging out.
Recipe by Roamingtaste