Cookie topped choux puffs

Cookie topped choux puffs

Ingredients:

cookie dough:
25 grams plain flour
25 grams unsalted butter
25 grams caster sugar

choux puff:
30g all purpose flour
30g cake flour
40g unsalted butter
100ml water
5g castor sugar
pinch of salt
2 eggs (100g)

vanilla custard cream:
(Note: this is my own recipe, as I didn't have any vanilla pods in the pantry)
1 cup of fresh milk
1/2 cup of thickened cream
2 large eggs
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons of plain flour
2 teaspoons of vanilla essence

 

Preparation:

step 1
Directions:
cookie dough...

Place the butter in a bowl and use a spoon to mash until slightly softened.
Add in the sugar and mix to combine.
Add the flour and use a spatula to mix till combined. Wrap with cling wrap and roll into a mini cylinder. Place in the freezer to chill for at least half an hour.

step 2
choux puff...

Preheat oven to 200 C.
Place water, butter, sugar, salt in saucepan.Heat the mixture till the butter melts and boils. Remove from heat, add the flour into the saucepan. Using a heatproof spatula, stir the mixture quickly to mix.
Place the saucepan back over medium heat. Stir constantly with the spatula while letting the moisture from the mixture evaporate. The dough should become less watery and be stickier. When a thin layer of skin forms on the base of the saucepan, remove saucepan from heat.
Dump the dough into a mixing bowl, and while the dough is still warm, add in the eggs one at a time. Using the spatula, stir the mixture quickly to mix in the egg. When the mixture is smooth, add in remaining egg bit by bit (you might not need all of it) and repeat quick stirring motions until the eggs are fully mixed in and mixture appears smooth.
Transfer the dough to a piping bag (I used a zip lock bag and snipped the tip off). Line a tray with baking paper. Pipe swirls of the dough onto the tray. You should end up with approximately 10 puffs.
Remove the cookie dough from the freezer, slice into ten (or more) pieces and place on top of the piped puffs. Press down slightly and ensure that the cookie rounds are in the center of the puffs (if not you'll end up with lopsided cookie tops!).
Place in preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes. Cool before filling with desired fillings.

step 3
vanilla custard cream...
Place milk and cream in a bowl and turn the heat on low.
In another bowl whisk the sugar and egg together until the sugar dissolves. Then add the flour and whisk until the mixture turns slighty pale in color.
When the egg mixture is ready, turn the milk mixture on high heat and pour the egg mixture in while stirring. Turn the heat on medium and stir until the mixture thickens slightly (about 3-5 minutes). Adjust the temperature lower if mixture begins to burn slightly.
Stir in vanilla essence. Serve warm or chill. Whisk the mix after chilling mixture before serving.

Blue cheese fettuccine

Blue cheese fettuccine

Ingredients:

Blue cheese to taste
2 cups heavy cream
Fettuccine pasta
Salt for pasta water

 

Preparation:

step 1
Pour cream into a saucepan, add blue cheese and let cheese slowly melt into the cream over medium high heat, stirring on occasion. Do not let mixture boil.

step 2
Heat water for pasta until boiling, add salt. Add pasta and cook until al dente.

step 3
Drain pasta, pour blue cheese sauce over pasta and serve. Delicious served with a crusty bread and side salad. 

Garlic & cheese pull apart bread

Garlic & cheese pull apart bread

Ingredients:

2 packets active dry yeast
1 1/3 cups warm water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
3 1/2 cups bread flour
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

 

Preparation:

step 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

step 2
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the yeast and water. Let sit 5 minutes until yeast is foamy. Mix in the olive oil, salt, and flour. If you have a stand mixer, attach the dough hook and knead the dough for 5-6 minutes, or until elastic. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Allow to rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until dough is doubled in size.

step 3
In a small bowl, combine melted butter, parsley flakes, and minced garlic. Set aside.

step 4
Punch down the dough. Tear off small pieces of dough, roll into a ball, coat in the butter mixture, and place in the bottom of a bundt pan. Repeat this process until you have one layer of dough balls. Sprinkle on 1/3 of the Parmesan & mozzarella cheese.

step 5
Continue layering the dough balls and cheese until you have 3 layers. Cover the pan with a clean towel and allow to sit until dough has doubled in size, 20-30 minutes.

step 6
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until bread is golden brown. Serve hot with a side of marinara or pizza sauce.