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I taught a class tonight on pate a choux. We made all kind of "puffs" -- sweet and savory -- garlic clouds, gorgeres, puffs filled with chicken salad and mini puffs filled with curried chicken salad.

Here are some pictures:

The garlic clouds

Basically the pate a choux with 12 cloves of garlic added -- made them appetizer size.


Martha

Cream puffs filled with vanilla pastry cream, topped with ganache and whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg.

Martha

Mini puffs filled with whipped cream, topped with chocolate ganache and sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Martha

Oh, Linderhof, you have out-done yourself! They look absolutely scrumptious! I've never made them before BUT have it on my to-do list!

And they are really really very easy!

Martha

Oooh! They all look delicious!

I watched step-daughter make gougeres last Thanksgiving. Haven't tried it myself, but yes they were easily made.

This would've been a fun class to take, they look so good.

Think: Popovers, Yorkshire pudding, Profiteroles, Crullers, Eclairs, Croquembouches, Beignets, St. Honoré cake, Pao de Queijo (Brazilian cheese bread), Dutch Babies or puffy pancakes and savories added to pate a choux dough then baked like Chicken Nut Puffs - lots of variations.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Lurah,

I've only made them aroun Valentine's day, but they are really easy. Don't know why I don't make them more often.

Those look gorgeous. I would love to make some, but then I would eat them and that's not a good thing for me.

Oh Martha, this brought back memories! When my son was about 12 months old we lived in an upstairs apt. and DH took our only car to work so I would end up in the kitchen and would make cream puffs quite often during the baby's nap time. Probably when I definitely started my battle with weight . I saw this recipe in the May 21, 2012 People magazine and thought it sounded yummy.

Prosciutto and Fontina Gougeres

1 1/2 c. water
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups flour
6 eggs
6 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto, julienned
6 oz. fontina cheese, grated
2 tbsp. finely minced chives
1 large egg beaten with 1 tbsp. milk for egg
wash

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bring water and butter to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and add flour. Beat with a wooden spoon until dough forms a ball. Continue beating for 2 minutes. Put dough in a large bowl.

2. With an electric mixer at high speed, beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in 1 cup prosciutto, 3/4 c. cheese and chives.

3. Drop by 8 large spoonfuls of dough into each of 4 buttered 9-in. round cake pans. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with remaining prosciutto and cheese. Bake until golden, 45-50 min. Serve immediately. Makes 30 - 32.

I haven't tried this recipe but thought it looked good.

Love the proscuitto and fontina and chive idea - made them again tonight for a party -- and used parmesan and rosemary -- they were really good!

Martha

Oh, my! Loving those savory versions. TFS.

Martha,
Would you please share vanilla pastry cream or can I just do a google for the recipe? I used to make cream puffs all the time but only filled with vanilla pudding..not bad but I would love to fill them with an actual pastry cream..and btw yours look so pretty and yummy.
Joan

Grandma Joan - it's a pretty standard recipe -- this time I used Ina Garten's recipe. It does have cognac (or you could use brandy -- much cheaper) which gives a nice flavor but you could omit that.

Martha

Ina Garten's Pastry Cream


5 extra-large egg yolks, room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1 1/2 cups scalded milk

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon Cognac

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon heavy cream

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the egg yolks and sugar on medium-high speed for 4 minutes, or until very thick. Reduce to low speed, and add the cornstarch.

With the mixer still on low, slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture. Pour the mixture into a medium saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens, 5 to 7 minutes. Don't be alarmed when the custard comes to a boil and appears to curdle; switch to a whisk and beat vigorously. Cook, whisking constantly, for another 2 minutes; the custard will come together and become very thick, like pudding. Stir in the vanilla, Cognac, butter, and heavy cream. Pour the custard through a sieve into a bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on the custard and refrigerate until cold.

Yield: 2 cups