Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Pâte à Choux and Pastry Cream

Paris Brest

Paris Brest was created to commemorate a popular bicycle race between Paris and Brest. Its shape represents a bicycle wheel and was a popular treat with riders because of its energy-giving high calorie value (that's why it's yummy!). Today it can be found in pastry shops throughout France.

Croquembouche

Croquembouche is a traditional French wedding cake



Eclairs



When it comes down to it, all the delicious desserts you see above--the éclairs, the croquembouche, the cream puffs, and the Paris-Brestthe--are a combination of two key components: Pâte à Choux and Pastry Cream.

Pâte à Choux is the delicious buttery dough. The first step to making Pâte à Choux is bring water and butter (scary amounts) to a boil. Then remove it from the stove and stir in the flour. After the flour is stirred in, place it on the stove while continuously stirring in order to cook the starch and dry out the dough. After the starch is properly cooked and the dough is dried out, remove it again from the heat, but continue to stir to cool the dough. Add eggs one at a time, until it reached an elastic consistency (like the butter, scary amount of eggs). Once you reach the right texture and consistency, fill a pastry bag and piped the dough onto sheet pan. Bake.

9 comments:

Lisa said...

Are you kidding Kris..These look so amazing! What could be better than home made eclairs!

Big Wade said...

Kristi, I love the look of the eclairs. They are one of my favorites. I guess its the butter.

Carli said...

Krissers, you gotta make me these eclairs along with the ginger snaps i have been longing for! xoxo i'll be waiting!

Jordo said...

...never has an eclair had such an impact on me...

lovetheday said...

Those eclairs look so yummy! Maybe you should bring us some this next weekend!

Lisa said...

Happy Birthday Kris!! Love you, Have a great day!

Aunt Spicy said...

hummmm....I am thinking I might need to move to NYC just to eat your left overs! I am so glad you left a comment on my blog, it will be great to see what you are up to!

Aunt Spicy said...

Forgot to add, I am adding you to my links!

Nadine said...

Happy Birthday late Krissy.
I remember your birth well, and you have been the perfect everything since. Now you can add gourmet chef to your repertoire.
Love you,
Grams