Jan 27, 2009

Chocolate Cream Puffs

Everyone likes cream puffs, and for the first time I meet the chocolate version! I really liked this recipe, they were gone in a flash, and chocolate cream is just delightful! Vanilla cream is equally delicious, and looks awesome against dark puffs.

Chocolate cream puffs

For the choux pastry:
115g/4 oz/1 cup all purpose flour
2 tbsp cocoa powder
250 ml /8 oz/1 cup water
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp granulated sugar
115 g/4 oz/ ½ cup unsalted (sweet) butter
4 eggs

For the chocolate pastry cream:
450 ml/2 cups milk
6 egg yolks
115g/4 oz/½ cup granulated sugar
50g/2 oz/½ cup all purpose flour
150g/5oz plain semi-sweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
115 ml/4 fl oz/ ½ cup whipping cream
I have added ½ tsp vanilla extract because I decided to make half vanilla, half chocolate

First, I make the pastry cream. Mix egg yolks with sugar. Add vanilla, if you will make vanilla cream. Set milk to boil, before it does, take some hot milk (like ½ cup) and add it in the egg yolk mixture, mixing it in fast. Add flour to the mixture, then stir it in the boiling milk. Mix for few minutes, remove from heat, and immediately add chocolate, and mix it well. If you like you can make half chocolate, half vanilla, then you need only half of the amount of chocolate. Let it cool down, later chill in the fridge, while making pastry. When cooled, add whipped whipping cream.

For the choux pastry, it’s same old procedure. Preheat oven to 425 F. Set water, butter, salt, and sugar to boil, then remove from heat, add flour mixed with cocoa powder, and mix well. Return to heat, and cook for another minute. Remove from heat again, and add one by one, 4 eggs, working fast with a hand mixer.
Transfer mixture into piping bag, and pipe puffs about 3 inches across (or what size you like), and 2 inches apart onto a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Baker for about 30-40 minutes, take them out, cut of about top third of each puff, and return them to the oven for another 5-10 minutes to dry them out. Cool, and fill with cream.

Drizzle tops with chocolate glaze. There is a recipe for one, but I didn’t like it, so just use any chocolate glaze you like, or like I prefer, just dust with some powdered sugar.

Recipe adapted from The Chocolate and Coffee Bible.

36 comments:

RecipeGirl said...

These are just gorgeous. I can only imagine how delicious they are!!

Suzy said...

These looks beautiful! I can just feel them squishing in my mouth.

Nina Timm said...

Oh my goodness, this is too good to look at so early in the morning. Wow, I am bookmarking this for sure!

Finla said...

Wow wow wow, i would love few of those chocolate ones.

Marija said...

I remember the cream puffs you posted a while ago when you started blogging. They were so masterly done that I thought it can't get any better. But you ave done it again! You are a real cream puff master! :) Wonderful!

Вера said...

ceske su za mene vrh dezerta,sam fil mi je neodoljiv,cokoladni nisam probala ali cini mi se da je super.Svaka cast za recept!

a quiet life said...

looks fabulous, i am craving one for breakfast...

JA U KUHINJI... said...

ovo izgleda predobro :)

Shelby said...

These are beautiful!!

Anonymous said...

This looks wonderful, and you make it look downright easy!

Chrispy Bakes said...

Medena! I need help! I tried to make choux last weekend and failed, miserably. I used the Alton Brown recipe.

The dough, before it got into the pastry bag, looked lumpy in a way it didn't on the show. Piping, I may have used a tip too small (um, a 10, I think?), because my lazy S's (I was making eclair) were really, REALLY small. Anyway, they didn't rise like they were supposed to and I didn't get a cavity.

I tried puffs with the second half of the dough and that was just as miserable. I made them bigger this time, and they looked fine, but when I pulled them out there were these huge indentations in the bottom.

What'd I do wrong? I wanna make these choux hearts for my wife for Valentines' Day. ^^;;;

Melita said...

Thank you all for wonderful comments!!!

Crispy Bakes - OK, I don't know the ingredients of the recipe you used, this recipe here is sure to be a success, give it a try.
Few things are very important, follow steps carefully. Butter is the key in making them rise.
Also, you add eggs one by one, and do that very fast, with a hand mixer. I brake the eggs in a bowl, that way it’s easier to be fast to add them into the dough with mixer in one hand, and eggs already broken in another.
Very important to preheat the oven, and do not open until they are done 30-40 minutes.
I don’t think piping has anything to do with success, I made small and big puffs, and they were all a success.
Also with this recipe I like that when they are done, although it requires more work, and it’s hot to handle, but you cut off the tops, and then return puffs in the oven for another 5-10 minutes which dries up any parts that are still sort of squishy. Hope these tips help you. Perhaps give it a try, and if you have any more questions, please let me know. Today I’ll be checking here often :) Good luck!
P.S. This pastry cream is wondeful, both flavors!

pigpigscorner said...

oh my, I can't wait to pop one in my mouth now! They look really delicious!

Anonymous said...

Yummy, I love cream puffs, chocolate eclairs or anything filled with whipping cream :P . Love them!

Serena@TentarNonNuoce said...

great idea!!! simply delicious!
;)

Anonymous said...

Looks delicious, and relatively simple for cream puffs.

Brilynn said...

I really have to try making cream puffs again, I've had mixed success with the choux paste.

Monika said...

fenomenalno izgledaju! :)

Navita (Gupta) Hakim said...

oh my gosh...u are a master chef sweets....

love those puffs...n no they are not the 'same old procedure' for me...I need to make them once..hvnt really tried making puffs.

Mythili said...

Aren't those lovely!!!!A treat to the eyes, indeed!

Netts Nook said...

I can't wait to try gorgeous.

Maggie said...

They look fantastic!! I don't think I've ever seen a recipe for chocolate choux before.

Anonymous said...

Medena, looks so good! Your puffs look better than any bakery's. Beautiful photography.

Anonymous said...

Looks and sounds soo delicious .. love the photos .. Laila .. http://limeandlemon.wordpress.com

Adi said...

So nice your comment on my Napoleons, thanks.
I know you from Flickr. You have so many beautiful pictures... these Puffs are great also¡¡

Navita (Gupta) Hakim said...

Thanks for the lovely comments Medena.

Will wait for ur award post...u desereve them all:)

Marija said...

Congratulations on DMBLGIT award! :))

Melita said...

Thank you so much Marija!!! :)

Monika said...

čestitam na DMBLGIT nagradi! zaslužila si! :)

Melita said...

Hvala Monchi, vjeruj mi da nisam ocekivala kad sam vidjela sve druge slike! :)

sefa firdaus said...

Congratulations on winning DMBLGIT February 2009 Medena. Your photo is really mouthwatering.

BakerGirl said...

I made these creampuffs, and I'm only 14. It was a big hit for fathers day! Will make again soon :)

Carol said...

Can you use this to make a plain cream puff and just not add the coco???

Carol said...

Can I leave out the coco to just make them plain. I have been looking for a easy recipe to make cream puffs and this looks like it. There beautiful.

Cynthia said...

Innnnnnnteresting. I may have to make these!

Cynthia said...

Hi! I have added your picture with link on a blogpost to come out on www.addicted2chocolate.net later next month. Please let me know if ok? I have included the link your original post. I will be attempting to make these as well. Scared about doing french pastries but armed with your post and I recipe book I figured I should be able to manage. Hahaha...Hopefully!

 
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