Blackberry Cream Puffs

Step 1

Preheat oven to 425F.

Step 2

Melt butter in heavy sauce pan over med-low heat with milk, water, salt, and sugar. Bring to simmer.

Step 3

Once simmering, add all flour at once stirring constantly for about 3 minutes to evaporate some of the water and bring together into a mass that pulls away from the sides of the pan.

Step 4

Remove from heat. Add eggs one at a time stirring vigorously for 2-3 minutes until smooth and glossy.

Step 5

Add 2 tsp mounds to a baking sheet lined with a silicon baking mat or parchment paper.

Step 6

Two options to shape:

Step 7

Add to pastry bag and pipe with a large star or round tip in a spiral. OR

Step 8

Use two spoons to form approximate spheres.

Step 9

Wet fingers can be used to press down peaks or reshape odd lumps.

Step 10

Bake at 425F for 10 minutes until just starting to turn golden brown. Reduce heat to 375 and bake for a further 8-10 minutes until fully golden brown and crunchy.

Step 11

Remove from oven then poke a hole in the side of each puff (I suggest a chopstick), allowing remaining steam to escape so that the pastry doesn’t become soggy. Allow to cool completely.

Step 12

Macerate blackberries with sugar for 30 min. Puree (blender or immersion blendeand strain into a small saucepan. Being heating over low.

Step 13

Mix lemon juice with corn starch to form a smooth paste. Add to blackberry puree, whisking constantly until mixture begins to thicken, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and put in fridge to cool completely.

Step 14

Whip cream to stiff peaks. Fold in blackberry mixture 1/3 at a time until completely incorporated. Return to fridge.

Step 15

Pipe blackberry cream mixture into cooled choux puffs. Place in fridge or freezer until cream is thick again.

Step 16

Melt chocolate in a double boiler or a small bowl above a saucepan with simmering water. Temper if desired.*

Step 17

Dip the tops of the cold puffs into the chocolate and return to a non-stick surface. Place in fridge until hardened. Cream puffs can be stored for several days in an airtight container in the freezer. Defrost in the fridge until ready to eat.