Mocha Cream Puffs Recipes

Steps:

• Make the mocha buttercream: Combine espresso powder and hot water in a small bowl; stir until espresso dissolves. Heat egg whites and sugar in a heatproof bowl of a mixer set over a pan of simmering water, whisking until whites are warm to the touch and sugar dissolves, 2 to 3 minutes. (Mixture should feel smooth when rubbed between 2 fingers.) Whisk egg-white mixture with a mixer on medium-high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form and mixture cools completely, about 10 minutes.
• Reduce speed to medium-low. Add butter, a few tablespoons at a time, whisking well after each addition. Switch to the paddle attachment, and reduce speed to low. Beat in espresso mixture and melted chocolate until smooth, then beat to reduce air bubbles, 3 to 5 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap, and let stand at room temperature until ready to use.
• Make the mocha pastry cream: Prepare an ice-water bath. Combine espresso powder and hot water in a small bowl; stir until espresso dissolves. Whisk eggs, egg yolks, and 1/4 cup sugar in medium bowl.
• Bring remaining 1/4 cup sugar, the milk, vanilla seeds, cornstarch, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, whisking constantly. Remove from heat, and gradually whisk one-third of hot-milk mixture into egg mixture. Whisk entire mixture back into saucepan. Raise heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Cook, continuing to whisk, until mixture is thick enough to hold its shape when lifted with a spoon, about 3 minutes.
• Remove from heat. Whisk in butter, 1 piece at a time. Whisk in espresso mixture and chopped chocolate until smooth. Strain mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl. Cover with parchment or plastic wrap, pressing it directly on surface to prevent a skin from forming. Transfer to ice-water bath; let stand until cooled, about 30 minutes. Refrigerate until chilled and firm, at least 2 hours.

Steps:

• Make choux pastry: combine butter, water, milk, sugar, and salt in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat stirring as to not scald the milk. Add all the flour and beat by hand to combine and then press it out over the bottom and sides of pot for a minute. Remove from heat. Dump in mixing bowl and allow to cool for about 10-15 minutes. (dont want to cook eggs in next step or you'll get scrambled eggs in your pastry batter and it won't puff up)
• After it has cooled down some, use a mixer and beat in the eggs, one at a time fully incorporating each one before adding the next. After you add the last egg, as soon as it is mixed in completely turn off mixer. Don't want to over mix.
• Preheat oven to 400. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush parchment paper with some water to moisten it. Fill a piping bag with a #1 tip or a ziplock bag with the end cut off with pastry batter. Make these as big or as little as you want piping like building up a coiled up snake, about 3/4 inch or so high. Make sure they are all the same size.
• Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, dont open the door. Turn oven down to 350 and bake 6-10 minutes more, or until nice and brown. Remove from oven and move to cooling rack. Allow to cool completely before opening and filling
• For pastry cream: In a medium sauce pan heat half and half and milk over medium heat until simmering. While that is heating up, in a large mixing bowl whisk together egg yolks, sugar and salt. Then whisk in flour, espresso powder, and cocoa, and whisk completely for no lumps. Once dairy is hot whisk in 1/2 cup of it into your bowl of egg mixture. Then another 1/2 cup. Now pour it all back in the pot while whisking. Reduce heat to medium-low and whisk constantly for about 5 minutes or until thick an bubbling. Remove from heat. Whisking in flavorings and butter until butter is completely melted and incorporated. Push through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any egg bits. Cover top of cream with plastic wrap making sure the wrap is touching every bit of the cream so a skin doesn't form. Place in fridge and allow to sit for at least 2 hours. (this can be done a day or two in advance)
• For Chocolate glaze: In a microwave safe bowl add chocolate chips to melted gulf wax. Heat in microwave for 30 second intervals stirring in between until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in corn syrup.
• Assemble: gently break open in half each puff, keep tops matching to bottoms. Fill piping bag with a large star tip with the pastry cream. Pipe a good amount of filling onto each bottom. Place the top on. Set aside on a cooling rack. Take the glaze and with a small spoon smear a little over the top. Allow to set up for about 10 minutes. Now dust the tops with a light touch of powdered sugar. Enjoy!
• These really are best enjoyed same day but can be stored in the fridge for up to about a week. It just changes the texture of the choux pastry, but still oh so good!

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan; remove from heat and stir in chocolate drink mix, sugar, and coffee granules. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hour or overnight.
• Pour chocolate mixture in a large punch bowl about 30 minutes before serving. Scoop vanilla and chocolate ice cream into the bowl, stirring until partially melted. Garnish with dollops of whipped topping and shaved milk chocolate.

Steps:

• Beat whipping cream and sugar together in mixing bowl until stiff. Dissolve coffee granules in boiling water. Cool. Add to whipped cream and beat in. Makes enough to frost and fill one 8 or 9 inch 2 layer cake. Keep Mocha Cream refrigerated.