Deliciousness in a Puff Ball :)

Hi everyone!

How was your Tuesday?  Mine was Terrific.  We set up to make Mini Eclairs and Cream puffs today.  With the left over dough we made these pictured beauties.   The chef was gracious enough to bring in some cheese and cracked pepper.  Right out of the oven they were scrumptious.  :)  I really enjoyed today because I have ALWAYS wondered how an eclair was made, how that hollowness is created.  Today WE got the answer.  EGG, and a whole lot of it! Who would have thunk it ;)

To make the dough all you need is Egg, Flour, Shortening and Water.  Yup, that's it. Shocking, I know, since they happen to be the same ingredients you need for everything else. ;) BUT, therein likes the art of baking.  The SCIENCE, to be more specific.  If your lovely heart desires you can pinch in some salt and add some sugar to add flavor.  Not so cute to add sugar if you are making a cheese puff though.  So plan out what you are making before you set up your ingredients. 

We made our own batch of mini eclairs and puff balls and put them away until tomorrow.  We are going to fill them in with cream and maybe even dip them into chocolate.  Huge round of applause for the chocolate!  I'm kinda hoping tomorrow gets here sooner rather than later.  For baking that is, because the second half of my day is going to be a quiz on Pathogens! Yes, isn't that lovely? 19 of them, 19 which I cant even pronounce! ha... I'm passing! I promise... (butterflies in stomach)

I myself have never been a BIG fan of eclairs ( but that doesn't mean I don't chow them down).   Now that I know how to make them, I can create the dough my way and also make the cream to my liking. I think at that point I may become a HUGE eclair fan because I like the texture mixed in with the filling.

Quick tip of the day: Steam is created in the pastry through the eggs.  As soon as it heats up, that baby expands to create these nice puffy, tunneled pastries. I am definitely going to mess with this recipe at the house.  Come to think of it, I have not shared one in a while.. this one is not so tough to make and easy to do, so lets "pop" out a recipe! 

***The art of baking is in your hands... its the attention that you pay to the procedures that will result in an amazing product.  Take your time and do it right.*** I can throw recipe's out all day long.  We each will do them differently and bake them differently.  One slight wrong move and it can go awry.

To make the pastry:

16 oz of water

8 oz of shortening

.2 oz of salt

12 oz of bread flour

1lb 4 oz of eggs

Boil the water, shortening and salt

remove pan from heat and add the flour all at once

mix it quickly!

Put the pan back on a lower heat and stir until the dough becomes a ball

Place the mixture into a bowl or your mixer and mix.

after it has cooled off some with mixing, SLOWLY add in your eggs, mix.. Slowly add more egg, mix..etc.

Once all the egg is in, your dough is one!

Pipe out your eclairs or puffs onto your cookie sheet

Bake at 425 until they are golden ( DO  NOT OPEN OVEN UNTIL THEN)

Fill with your favorite filling... butter cream, jellies.. etc.

Enjoy and let me know how they turn out!  Tomorrow I will be back to show you mine and to tell you how they taste! We are also making Creme Brulee..HURRAY!  Yes, that was corny cuz it rhymed.. but I'm corny!

Good night everyone!!