This pastry has always challenged me, but I found this recipe and troubleshooting guide at TheFlavorBlender.com and now I have no fear of the éclair or cream puff.

INGREDIENTS

8 oz. water

4 oz. unsalted butter, cubed and at room temperature

4.5 oz. sifted flour

8 oz. eggs (weighed without the shell, about 4 large eggs)

generous pinch of salt
DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Place salt, water, and butter in a saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally. When the water is just starting to boil (butter should be melted at this point), remove from the heat and add the flour in one go. Mix the flour in so that it absorbs all of the water (use a wooden spoon or spatula to do this). When the flour has absorbed the water and it’s forming a dough, return the pan to the stove (medium heat).

Cook the dough for 2-5 minutes while you move it around in the pan until you get a dough that pulls away from the sides of the pan, and when you stick a spoon in the dough, it stays upright.

Transfer the dough to a bowl. With a hand held mixer (or whisk), mix the dough while adding the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Make sure the eggs are lightly beaten so that you can stop adding eggs immediately, when you reach the right consistency – a dough with a glossy sheen with pipeable consistency.

Prepare a baking tray with parchment paper.

Pipe the desired shape on to the baking sheet – either using a piping bag fitted with a large tip, or spoon it on to the tray, using a teaspoon. I did classic éclair shapes and also tried cream puffs. They almost triple in size so make sure to take that into account when piping. With a damp finger, flatten any pointy tips. Bake in preheated oven for 30 – 40 minutes in the center of the oven, or until the choux pastry shells puff up and are golden brown on top. Do not open the oven door at least till you have reached the 25 minute mark. Importantly, baking time depends on the size of your pastry shell.

Remove from the oven, and prick each shell with a toothpick and let it cool completely.

Fill with whatever you want. I used pastry cream and then dipped them in a mixture of melted chocolate, butter, and powdered sugar.

The V is for Vegan. And it is amazing.

INGREDIENTS

Cake:

3 cups flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 cups almond milk
2/3 cup melted coconut oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups sugar

Ganache
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup almond or coconut milk
2 tablespoons maple syrup

Raspberries optional

DIRECTIONS

Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Place dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Add the apple cider vinegar to the milk and beat until it’s frothy. Whisk in the oil, vanilla, and sugar.

Add the wet ingredients in three increments to the dry ingredients using a spatula, whisk, or a hand mixer on the lowest setting. Once you have incorporated the third installment of wet ingredients you can stop. Don’t over mix.

Pour the cake batter into two round cake pans that have been greased with coconut oil. Bake for twenty-five minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake is clean. While cooling, make ganache.

Ganache:
Stir the milk and syrup together in a small saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Pour this mixture over the chocolate and stir until all of the chocolate is melted. Allow to cool to room temperature.

When cakes are cooled.  Place the first layer on a plate and poke holes with a toothpick over the top. Pour over 1/3 of the ganache pushing it towards the edges so it coats the sides as well.  If you like fresh fruit, add a layer of raspberries before placing on the top layer.  Once you place the top layer, pour over the rest of the ganache until it coats the sides as well.  Refrigerate for at least at hour to set the chocolate.

I worked with this recipe.

Pink Champagne Cake with Champagne Buttercream Frosting. The perfect end to 2016. Happy, Healthy New Year.

INGREDIENTS

Cake

3 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

6 large egg whites at room temperature

1 cup champagne

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

2 cups sugar

1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

Couple drops of pink food coloring
Frosting

2 cups unsalted butter

8 cups powdered sugar

5 to 6 tablespoons Champagne

1 teaspoon vanilla

Couple drops of pink food coloring

DIRECTIONS

Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 8-inch round pans.

Place the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl, and sift to combine well. Set aside.

Place the egg whites, Champagne, vanilla, and oil in a bowl, and whisk by hand until well blended. Set aside.

Put the sugar and butter in a large bowl, and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy and light, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the flour mixture and the egg white mixture alternately, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Stir in the pink coloring. Divide the batter between the three pans, and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Cool for a few minutes and then remove them from the pans and allow them to cool completely.

Frosting

Put the butter in a large mixing bowl, and beat on medium speed until creamy and smooth, 1 minute. Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time. Add the champagne and vanilla. Blend on medium speed until smooth. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high, add the pink coloring, and beat until the frosting is fluffy, 30 seconds.

Assemble cake putting a layer of frosting between each layer. Frost any way you like.

I worked with this recipe.

The extra flaky crust warm fruit make this the perfect end to any meal.

INGREDIENTS

Flaky pie crust

2 cups flour
1 3/4 sticks cold butter cubed
1 tablespoon crisco
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1/3 cup (approximately) of ice cold water

Filling

3 apples (cored and sliced thin)
1 teaspoon flour
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup golden raisins
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cut cubed butter and crisco into flour, salt, and sugar, until medium size chunks of butter/fat are still visible. Use a fork to slowly add water and form into a loose ball.  Do not over work.  Spread out a large piece of plastic wrap on the counter and pour/place the dough on the plastic wrap.  Form a circle shape, wrap, and place in the freezer or refrigerator while you prepare the apples.

Place sliced apples into a bowl, add the rest of the ingredients and mix.  Let it sit for 5 minutes until juices form.

Take out dough and place it on a split.  Roll out into a square shape approx 1/4″ thick.  Layer apples and raisins leaving a 1/2″ to 3/4″ border.  Fold in edges to cover a little bit of the fruit.  Sprinkle the edges of dough with a little sugar and pour any juice over the top of the apples.

Place silpat on a cookies sheet and bake for approximately 45 minutes until evenly browned. Best is served warm.

Buon Natale!

INGREDIENTS

Starter

3/4 cup flour
1/16 teaspoon yeast (just a pinch)
1/3 cup cool water

Dough

2 1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup lukewarm water
2 large eggs
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) softened butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon instant yeast
1 ¼ teaspoons salt
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup golden raisins (soaked in Marsala overnight)
½ cup candied orange (chopped)
2 tablespoons grated orange rind or grated lemon rind (zest)

DIRECTIONS

Starter
Combine the starter ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and allow to rest overnight.

Dough
Combine all the dough ingredients except the fruit and zest and mix togher until a soft, smooth dough is formed.

Let it rise, covered for 1 to 1 ½ hours. It should be puffy.

Deflate the dough gently and knead in the fruits and zest.

Shape dough into a ball and place in panettone mold and cover with a damp kitchen cloth. Wait until it rises over the rim (about an hour or more).

Bake the bread in 400 degree oven for 10 minutes, reduce to 375 and cook for another 10 minutes; reduce to 350 and bake for 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven and pierce 12-inch metal or wooden skewers all the way through the panettone (including the paper) 4 inches apart and 1 inch from the bottom so the skewers are parallel. Hang the panettone upside down over a large stockpot and cool completely before cutting.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water
1 cup of Trader Joe’s blister peanuts
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (feel free to add more)

DIRECTIONS

Grease a large cookie sheet. Set aside.

In a heavy 2 quart saucepan, over medium heat, bring to a boil sugar, corn syrup, salt, and water. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Stir in peanuts. Set candy thermometer in place, and continue cooking. Stir frequently until temperature reaches 300 degrees F, or until a small amount of mixture dropped into very cold water separates into hard and brittle threads.

Remove from heat; immediately stir in butter and baking soda and cayenne pepper; pour at once onto cookie sheet. With 2 forks, lift and pull peanut mixture into rectangle about 14×12 inches; cool. Snap candy into pieces.

We had our company holiday party at the MacArthur Hotel next to MacArthur Park and it was raining. I hope you can figure out the rest.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
5 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups milk
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 12oz. can evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour one 9×13 inch baking pan.

Sift flour and baking powder together and set aside.

Cream butter or margarine and the 1 cup sugar together until fluffy. Add eggs and the 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; beat well.

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture 2 tablespoons at a time; mix until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes. Pierce cake several times with a fork.

Combine the whole milk, condensed milk, and evaporated milk together. Pour over the top of the cooled cake.

Whip whipping cream, the remaining 1 cup of the sugar, and the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla together until thick. Spread over the top of cake. Be sure and keep cake refrigerated.

I got the recipe here.

INGREDIENTS

7 oz. almond paste
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter, room temperature
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups melted chocolate
1 cup candied cherries, chopped
1 cup powdered sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons milk

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 10″ bundt pan.

Using an electric mixer, beat grated almond paste, sugar, and butter until well mixed.

Add eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition.  Beat until light and fluffy.

Sift the flour with the baking powder and add to batter alternately with milk. Beat on low until just combined and smooth. Do not over mix. Fold in cherries.

Melt chocolate.

Pour 1/3 of batter into bundt pan. Layer with melted chocolate and then pour the rest of the batter on top. Pour batter into pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Whisk powdered sugar and milk until desired thickness. Let cake cool and then drizzle with icing.

A rolled Dacquoise with mashed berries and whipped cream.  Perfect for an English dinner guest.

INGREDIENTS

Dacquoise

1 1/2 cups almond flour

1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

7 egg whites

1/3 cup sugar

pinch salt

pinch cream of tartar

Filling

1 cup whipping cream

2 cups mixed berries

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon sugar

DIRECTIONS

Line a jelly roll pan with silpat and preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Sift almond flour and confectioners’ sugar 2-3 times. Put aside.

Beat a little of the sugar and egg whites in a mixing bowl by hand.  Then use the electric mixer to continue whipping the egg whites adding the sugar slowly until soft peaks form. Beat together egg whites with a mixer until soft peaks form. Sift the flour/sugar mixture over the top and gently fold into the egg whites.

Pour into jelly roll pan. Run your finger along the edges to separate the batter from the edges. Bake for approximately 15 minutes. Check it frequently for it bakes quickly. It should be spongey.

Use this method for rolling the cake. Set aside.

Place berries, lemon juice and sugar into food processor and pulse until it is mashed but not liquid. Whip cream.

Unroll cake and then spread berries and then 1/2 the whipped cream.  Roll, place seam side down and then cover with the rest of whipped cream.

Inspired by Sugar Rush by Johnny Iuzzini.