Pate A Choux Centerpiece Recipes

Steps:

• Bring butter, sugar, salt, and 1 cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Using a wooden spoon, quickly stir in flour. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture pulls away from sides and a film forms on bottom of pan, about 3 minutes.
• Transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until slightly cooled, about 1 minute. Raise speed to medium; add whole eggs, 1 at a time, until a soft peak forms when batter is touched with your finger. If peak does not form, lightly beat remaining egg white, and mix it into batter a little at a time until it does.

Steps:

• How to Make a Cornet, method follows
• Make the centerpiece: Use a marker to trace the shapes of the centerpiece on a sheet of parchment paper in a sheet pan. Depending on how well you space your drawing for the entire centerpiece, you will need 4 to 5 set ups of parchment paper lined sheet pans. Starting with the centerpiece layers, draw 3 round bases of gradual size: draw the first circle 8 inches in diameter, the second circle about 5 inches in diameter and the third circle about 3 inches in diameter. Fill each circle by drawing a crosshatch pattern spacing your lines 1/2 to 3/4-inch apart. Turn the traced paper over so the ink does not transfer to the pate a choux. Place the pate a choux in a piping bag with a 1/4-inch straight tip and trace the base shapes you drew.
• To make the supports for the base: Using the same technique used to trace the 3 round bases, draw 5 curled lines that resemble a decorative letter S about 6 inches tall. These will sit between the largest and middle-sized base. Then make the same shape in a smaller size, about 3 inches tall, you will need 3 of the smaller S shapes. Turn the traced paper over so the ink does not transfer to the pate a choux. Trace the S shapes with the piping bag filled with the pate a choux.
• To make the butterflies: begin by making the butterfly wings, draw the shape of a teardrop about 2 1/2 to 3 inches long. Draw a second tear drop, the same size as the first, they should be connected, round end to round end in order to create a wing shape. Draw 10 sets of wings, this will give you 5 butterflies. Place more pate a choux in a paper cornet (see How to Make a Cornet). Trim the tip so you can draw a very fine line. Trace the outline of the butterfly wings with the pate a choux. Then, in a freeform style, draw a narrower teardrop shape within the boundaries of each of the larger teardrops. Make sure the smaller teardrops connect with the larger teardrops at both ends. To make the body of the butterfly, using the same cornet, pipe 2-inch strips making a thick end (the head) and gradually tapering off. To make the antennae simply pipe a 1 1/2-inch V shape. You will need 5 sets of bodies and 5 sets of antennae.
• Bake the pate a choux in the oven at 320 degrees F for about 20 minutes.
• How to Make a Cornet:
• The Cornet: A cornet is a small piping bag made from parchment paper. It is usually used to make fine decorations.
• Cut an 8 by 12 by 14 1/2-inch triangle from a sheet of parchment paper.
• Hold the middle of the long side of the triangle between 2 fingers of 1 hand. Take the tip of the triangle on the short, wide end and roll it toward the other tip of that same end while simultaneously pulling it in an upward motion. The tip of a cone will form where your thumb and finger hold it on the long side.
• Release your grip from the long side, so that you are now holding the 2 corners where they meet. The paper will already resemble a partially formed cone.
• Roll the remaining tail until it is completely rolled into a cone. There will be 1 point sticking up from the open end. Fold it inside toward the center, and crease the fold. Now you should have a cornet.
• To close the cornet once it has been filled, fold it away from the seam; this will keep the seam from opening. Use a pair of scissors or a sharp paring knife to cut an opening at the tip of the cornet to the desired size.
• Prepare the pate a choux: Place the water, salt, granulated sugar, and butter in a 4-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan, set it over medium-high heat, and bring to a boil. The butter should be completely melted by the time the mixture boils. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the bread flour all at once and incorporate it thoroughly with a wooden spoon.
• Return the saucepan to the stove and cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes to dry out the paste. As it cooks, push the paste from side to side with the wooden spoon. Turn it onto itself to allow every side to touch the bottom of the saucepan, which helps it dry. Keep the paste moving, or it will burn. The paste will dry out and leave a thin film on the bottom of the saucepan.
• Remove the saucepan from the heat and transfer the paste to a large mixing bowl. Mix with an electric mixer set on low speed for about 2 minutes to release some of the steam. Continue to mix and slowly add the eggs 1 at a time, incorporating well after each addition. After each egg is added, the paste will become loose and look separated. Once each egg is well incorporated, the paste will become smooth again. The number of eggs used will vary depending on the size of the eggs and how well the pate a choux is dried. The drier it is, the more eggs you will need. After you have added 2 eggs, check the consistency by scooping a large amount of the paste onto a wooden spoon. Hold the spoon horizontally about 1foot above the bowl and watch as the batter falls from the spoon back into the bowl. If it is pale yellow, smooth, moist, slightly elastic, sticky, and takes 5 to 7 seconds to fall into the bowl, it is ready. If it appears rough, dry, and falls into the bowl in 1 big ball, it needs more eggs. Add another egg and check the consistency again after it is well incorporated.
• To make the caramel: Place the sugar, corn syrup and water in a 1-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until light golden brown. Pour the caramel into a heatproof bowl to hold the temperature of the sugar. Put a towel under the bowl to keep it from tipping and to protect your hands from the heat of the glass.
• Assemble the centerpiece: The caramel acts as glue. Dip the bottom of the first large S into the caramel and stick it to the largest base going from the out side rim of the circle, towards the center of the circle. In other words, the base supports should almost meet each other in the center of the circle. This creates a structure for the next layer to rest on. You will have to hold each S support in place in order for the caramel to harden and actually stick, keeping the S shape in the right position. Repeat using the other 4 pieces, spacing them evenly. Dip the bottom of the first small S into the caramel and stick it to the medium-sized base. Repeat using the other pieces, again spacing them evenly. Place the medium size base on the large S supports. Top the small S supports with the smallest base. You will have a 3 tiered structure.
• To assemble the butterflies: using the caramel as glue, connect 2 sets of the wings together. Do this along length of the wings. Adjust the wings to sit at a slight angle, as though the wings are in mid-flight. Do this with all 10 wing sets, creating 5 total butterflies. Using a paring knife dipped in the caramel to spread it might be easier than dipping the wings or bodies in the bowl of caramel. You may need to prop the wings up while they harden. You can do so using 2 rolling pins or 2 thick books lying with about 2 inches between them. The space between them is where the glued center juncture will rest on the work surface and you will be able let the wings harden on a slight angle; this way you will not have to hold them in place until they harden. Using more caramel, glue the bodies to the area where you glued the wings together. Place the fatter end of the body at the top section where the wings are joined. Glue the antenna to the fatter part of the bodies. If at some point during the gluing process the caramel has become to stiff to use; place the caramel in the microwave oven at 30-second intervals, until it loosens up for you to use it again. Once the butterflies have been assembled and the caramel has hardened, you can then glue them wherever you like on the 3-tiered centerpiece.
• Place the centerpiece on a large tray. Display the Bomboloni and the Cloud Puffs around the centerpiece. Voila!

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Boil water, butter, and salt or sugar. Add flour and remove from heat. Work mixture together and return to heat. Continue working the mixture until all flour is incorporated and dough forms a ball. Transfer mixture into bowl of a standing mixer and let cool for 3 or 4 minutes. With mixer on stir or lowest speed add eggs, 1 at a time, making sure the first egg is completely incorporated before continuing. Once all eggs have been added and the mixture is smooth put dough into piping bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe immediately into golfball-size shapes, 2 inches apart onto parchment lined sheet pans. Cook for 10 minutes, then turn the oven down to 350 degrees F and bake for 10 more minutes or until golden brown. Once they are removed from the oven pierce with a paring knife immediately to release steam.

Steps:

• Put the water, butter, salt and sugar in a stainless pan and bring to a boil.
• As soon as the mixture reaches the boil, and the butter is completely melted, take it off the heat and add all the flour at once.
• Place the pan back on a medium flame and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon for about 30 seconds, or until the mixture thickens and forms a mass that does not stick to the pan. The mixture should be dried out by stirring over heat for another 1 to 2 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the mixture to a clean bowl.
• Crack the eggs into a bowl "before" adding to the dough. Add the eggs to the dough, 1 at the time, making sure that each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Use the mixer paddle tool for this job.
• The mixture should be firm but smooth. It has absorbed enough eggs when:
• -the spatula runs through the batter and leaves a channel that fills in slowly
• -a dollop of batter lifted on a spatula curls over on itself and forms a hook.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment. Pipe out 1/2-inch balls for profiteroles or cocktail puffs, 1-inch balls for cream puffs, or 1/2 by 4-inch strips for eclairs. Be sure to leave enough room in between for them to triple in size. Brush with egg glaze and bake for 15 minutes. Lower heat to 400 and open oven door briefly to let steam out. Close the door and continue to bake another 1030 minutes according to their size. They must be well dried out or they may fall. Take one out of the oven and check it by breaking open and checking the interior walls: they should be dry, not wet and eggy. Return to the oven as necessary. Remove when done and cool on a wire rack.
• Baked puffs and eclairs freeze well for up to a month.
• Filling Puffs: Either slice open horizontally, spoon filling onto bottom, and replace the hat; or pierce a small hole with a paring knife in side or bottom of the puff and pipe in a soft filling using a pastry bag with a small plain tip.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In 2 quart pot, combine the butter and water. On a piece of wax or parchment paper, sift together the flour, salt and sugar. Bring the water and butter to a rolling boil, remove from heat and dump the flour mixture in all at once. Stir with a wooden spoon or paddle to incorporate.
• Return the saucepot to high heat and cook, stirring, for about one minute. The mixture will form a ball and coat the pan with a thin film.
• Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl or standing mixer equipped with the paddle attachment. Mix the dough for a minute or so, on low speed, to release some of the heat. Add the eggs, one at a time, completely incorporating each one before adding the next. Beat until the dough gets thick and ribbony.
• Fit a pastry bag with a round #5 tip and fill with the warm dough. Line a heavy cookie sheet with parchment paper and anchor it to the tray with a little dab of the dough at each corner. Pipe about forty to forty five 1 1/2-inch mounds about 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden and puffed. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for another 10 minutes or until they are golden brown and there are no droplets of moisture in the crevices. Turn off oven and leave the choux to dry for another 10 minutes. Use when cool, or freeze, wrapped in a plastic bag, for 2-3 months.