This time of year, entertaining starts to pick back back up. We have Easter and Passover, then Mother's Day, graduation celebrations, and eventually Father's Day. These Cream Puffs, covered in a simple chocolate ganache are easy to whip up for any occasion coming your way.
To make this recipe you will need:
4 eggs
2 egg whites
10 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cups water
1/4 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
For the whipped cream filling:
1/2 cup cold cream
1 tablespoon sugar
For the ganache:
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup heavy cream
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place parchment paper on large baking sheet. In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs and whites together. Measure out one cup and toss the excess. In a medium saucepan, bring butter, water, milk, sugar, and salt to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in flour until smooth. Return to low heat and cook, stirring constantly, for three minutes. Transfer to a a stand mixer and mix on low for 10 seconds (or whisk until cooled slightly). With the mixer on low, or while whisking, pour in eggs and mix until smooth. Scrape Down the bowl and mix for an additional 30 seconds.
Using a small cookie scoop or a piping bag with a 1/2" round tip, pipe two tablespoons of batter in a circle onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove from oven and let cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the whipped cream. Add cold cream and sugar to very cold metal bowl. Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip on low until frothy. Move speed up to medium, slowly. Then add up to high as the cream begins to thicken, being careful not to turn your whipped cream into butter. Set aside.
When Cream Puff shells are cool, crack open slightly and fill or fill a pastry bag and pipe the whipped cream through the side of the shell.
For the ganache: Heat the cream in a small saucepan until small bubbles form. Place chocolate in a heat proof dish. Poor hot cream over chocolate and let stand for 10 minutes, do not stir. After ten minutes, stir until well incorporated. Let ganache thicken a bit then dip filled Cream Puffs in ganache.
