Feeling French - Raspberry Cream Puffs

 photo credit: http://bakersdaughter.typepad.com

Raspberry Cream Puffs

original recipe: http://bakersdaughter.typepad.com/the_bakers_daughter/2009/08/feeling-french-trois.html

Ingredients:

Choux Dough:

• 1 cup water 
• ½ cup butter 
• ¼ tsp salt 
• 1 cup all-purpose flour 
• 4 eggs

Raspberry Whipped Cream"

• 1 cup whip cream (35%)
• 1 tbsp white sugar
• 1/4 vanilla bean
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1/2 cup fresh raspberries

Glaze:

• 1 cup icing sugar
• water to thin
• Pink food colouring

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a medium sized pot combine the water and butter together and bring to a boil.  Once boiling add the flour and salt to the water mixture and turn the heat down to medium.  Mix continuously for 1 minute with a wooden spoon, this will cook the flour.  Let choux dough sit for a few minutes to cool.  Using a stand mixer, hand mixer or a spoon, gradually add the eggs one at a time, beating the whole time. 

Line two cookie sheets with parchment.  Using a pastry bag fitted with a number 10 tip, make a quarter sized ball shape out of the choux dough. If you do not have a pastry bag, use a teaspoon to drop balls of dough onto the pan. Bake for approximately 15 minutes until the puff is golden brown and feels very light when picked up.  Let cool completely before filling.

Using a fork, mash the raspberries in a small bowl and set aside.  Combine the whipped cream, vanilla, lemon zest and sugar.  Whip in a stand mixer or with a hand blender until peaks form.  Fold in the macerated raspberries gently by hand.

There are two methods of filling the cream puffs with the raspberry whipped cream.  #1: With a serrated knife cut off the top 1/3 of the cream puff.  Drop 1 tsp of filling into the cream puff base and place the top on.    #2: Using a pastry bag and tip #10 fill the bag with the whipped cream.  Insert the tip into the side of the cream puff and squeeze until it is filled

Make the glaze by combining the icing sugar and water.  Add a small amount of food colouring (I use Wilton) and mix to combine the colour.  Dip the tops of the puffs in the glaze, top with a raspberry and let dry.  Store in the fridge until you're ready to serve.