Camp shoes ? NO ! campari, raspberries and orange choux buns with white chocolate ? YES !

Well I have a strange relationship with choux pastry, I used to make it all the time, then one day was told by the powers above me at a place I once worked , “don’t make profiteroles…they’re a bit common don’t you think ?”

So I didn’t make them for a number of years, I mean….what can you say to that eh! ?

Then earlier this year I was interviewed over the phone by Georgi Gyton from the British baker magazine, who asked me my opinions on british baking trends, including Profiteroles “bit old fashioned ” I said, makes me think of Kerry Catona and Iceland”

When I read the finished interview, I realised I must literally eat my own words, I was too stuck in the past and had to shake of what was said to me. ( I also thought I sounded a tad twatty ) And so I began making profiteroles again, not with the old filling of vanilla pastry with a bit of chocolate over them, but with new fillings, Pistachio cream, white chocolate and rum, strawberry & Pimms, and my favourite which I will share today, choux buns filled with orange, raspberry & campari custard cream, coated with white chocolate.

I have been planning to write a choux pastry recipe for months, even took pictures and stuff, but that was near christmas, It was going to be white chocolate, praline and bitter chocolate eclairs, now its this, all summered up

Now Choux pastry is a right ole faff, but well worth it…it’s pretty versatile too, & can be used as a savory item as well, but I’ll save that one for another post.

you just need to follow the following rules-

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Never rush in the adding of eggs.

Never open the oven before at least 20 mins of cooking time has past.

Do not leave the water/butter mix boiling to long.

Resist the urge to over fill and use as custard bombs.

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Now this is one of those recipes where a mixer will make life easier, if you haven’t got one a tough wooden spoon and strong wrists are required

This recipe can make around 20 buns, all depending on how big you pipe them, you can freeze any buns you don’t use for a couple of weeks

Choux pastry expands due to the blistering caused by steam generated by the fat and water present *science face*.

It’s a bit time-consuming, but once you’ve had a go, try making up your own different fillings,  I am sure there are a multitude of combinations out there, have fun !

YOU WILL NEED-

A mixer with a paddle ( beater) or a heavy spoon and bowl

An oven pre - heated to 185c ( needs to be high to generate steam quickly and set the structure )

RECIPE - PASTE

125g unsalted butter

300ml water

pinch of salt

40g castor sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla essence

zest of  1/2 a lemon

teaspoon of orange zest

250g of strong flour ( sold as white bread flour usually, its strong gluten content holds the structure )

6 medium eggs

METHOD

place all ingredient except flour in a pan and bring to the boil ( do not leave boiling away as water will evaporate changing ingredient consistency)

While on the stove add the flour and beat with a heavy spoon until all flour is absorbed and you are left with a ball of smooth paste with no flour showing )

Leave to cool ( do not refrigerate or leave until stone cold as butter will set & it will be hard to add eggs)

It is ready when its warm to touch, but not hot, when at this stage beat the eggs in one at a time until fully mixed.

you should have a creamy soft paste which will maintain a stable shape.

You can now pipe using a plastic piping bag with a 1/2 round hole cut in bottom, or bag and same size tube.

Pipe round domed shapes onto baking parchment on a tray about the size of a golf ball.

place in your pre heated oven for around 30 minutes, do not open door before 20 mins have passed, they might collapse.

They are ready when they are dry & a nice deep golden brown colour, if pale they are not ready and might collapse.

take out and leave to cool.

RECIPE – FILLING ( will fill about 8-10 medium buns)

200ml single cream

300ml whole milk

4 medium egg yolks

150g castor sugar

2 table spoons of cornflour

1 tablespoon of plain flour

juice of 1/2 an orange

2 tablespoons of campari

1 punnet ( approx 250g fresh raspberries )

300ml double cream

200g white chocolate ( to coat )

METHOD

Cream together in a bowl the yolks, sugar & flours to form a creamy smooth paste, place the milk & single cream in a pan on the stove and bring to boil.

Take milk of the stove and pour over paste, continuously mixing to avoid lumps.

place custard back in pan and place back on heat, keep stirring until thick smooth custard is formed, cover with clingfilm and leave to completely cool.

Crush the raspberries with a fork.

Whip the double cream until its semi whipped.

When custard is cold, gently fold in cream, try not to over mix, then add campari, orange & Raspberries & fold in again.

ASSEMBLING THE BUNS -

Melt white chocolate over a bowl of hot water in a heat proof bowl.

With a knife or your finger poke a hole in base of a bun, pipe with filling in with a piping  bag and plain nozzle, until completely filled, continue filling rest of buns.

You can serve a couple on a plate or all buns in a pile, then drizzle over white chocolate, garnish with more raspberries if you wish & fresh mint.

Serve to guests and watch then stuff their faces

METHOD GALLERY -

Here’s a gallery of the method to help you along, click on any image to enlarge.

 

© The cake-shaker