The perfect light and crisp choux bun, filled with a vanilla cream and drizzled with white chocolate.
Notes
Choux seems hard but its easy if you bare the following in mind!
Texture is everything here. You may need to add a little more egg to get the desired consistency. You can dribble in a tablespoon at a time if you need a little more.
Moisture is another big factor. Giving the buns a spritz with water before they go in the oven aids the rising process.
A piping bag and nozzle will make your life easier. But you can just spoon the choux onto the baking sheets.
Again, an electric whisk will make your life easier, but you can get the same results with a hand whisk.
You can watch me make these on my instagram highlights.
If you need any further help, or have any questions, you can message me on my Instagram @bonniedoesfood.
Ingredients:
Choux:
120g unsalted butter
120ml water
120ml whole milk
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp caster sugar
130g plain flour
4 large eggs
1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp water, for the egg wash
Filling:
600ml double cream
4 tbsp icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla paste
Topping:
200g white chocolate
Directions:
FOR THE CHOUX:
Preheat your oven to 180c fan / 200c standard.
Line two baking trays with greaseproof parchment paper.
In a medium saucepan, add the butter, water, milk, salt and caster sugar.
Over a medium heat, heat the liquid until the butter melts and it just starts to come to a boil.
Still over the heat, add the flour and beat with a wooden spoon. You want to beat for about 2 minutes, this will cook off the flour.
You’ll know the flour is ready when it starts to form a big ball.
Transfer the ball to a medium mixing bowl and leave to cool for 10 minutes.
One at a time, add the eggs. Beating thoroughly between additions. I use an electric mixer, but a hand mixer will still work. It won’t come together at first so be patient.
After the fourth egg, make a judgement call. The choux should be clinging to the whisk slightly but dropping down in a V-shape. It should be soft and shiny. If it looks a little too stiff. Add a little more egg. Don’t add a whole one, but beat an egg and add a tablespoon at a time until it’s the right consistency.
Fill a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle. I fill my piping bags in a large glass to keep the bag stable!
Pipe 4 inch rounds onto the baking paper. Making sure to leave plenty of space between the puffs as they expand in the oven. For profiterole sized puffs pipe 2 inch rounds.
Using a wet finger, gently smooth out the peak on the choux rounds.
Very gently brush the puffs with egg wash.
Using a spray bottle, spray the choux with water before putting in the oven. If you don’t have a spray bottle you can brush around the puffs with water using a pastry brush.
Transfer to the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
Without opening the oven door (no peaking it will make the puffs deflate!). Turn the oven down to 160c fan / 180c standard and bake for another 10-12 minutes.
Working quickly, remove from the oven and poke a small whole in the bottom of the puffs. This will release the steam and stop them from collapsing.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool down completely.
FOR THE VANILLA CREAM:
In a large bowl, add the cream, icing sugar and vanilla paste.
Using a hand whisk or electric whisk, whisk until just under stiff peaks. Be careful not to over whip!
Set aside.
FOR THE CHOCOLATE TOPPING:
In a microwave, break the chocolate into chunks and in 30 seconds blasts, stirring in between, melt the chocolate until smooth and runny. Again, be careful not to burn.
TO ASSEMBLE:
Using a serrated knife, cut the cream puffs in half. Be gentle they will be fragile.
Fill a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle with the vanilla cream.
Taking the bottom half of a cream puff, pipe a round of the whipped cream. You want a little bit of height here.
Top with the other half of the choux puff and repeat with the rest.
Drizzle the cream puffs generously with the white chocolate.
Enjoy!