In the second instalment of my festive baking series, I will attempt to explain how I made [in my opinion] a festive showstopper in the form of a choux pastry Christmas tree!
These small puffs of pastry are filled with a firm chocolate custard and then dipped in white chocolate! Make the custard first so that it has time to chill whilst you make the choux pastry.
Chocolate creme patissiere
FYI this will make a lot. I used some to fill my buns with and then served the rest as chocolate puddings!
Ingredients
300ml double cream
240ml whole milk
30g cocoa powder
2 egg yolks and 1 egg
100g sugar
25g cornflour
150g dark chocolate, chopped
30g butter
Method
Heat the cream and milk in a saucepan until at simmering point
Whilst it is being heated, whisk the cocoa powder, eggs, sugar and cornflour in a bowl
Slowly pour hot liquid onto the egg mixture whisking constantly to avoid the eggs from cooking
Pour the egg/liquid mix back into the saucepan and heat whilst whisking until the mixture thickens
After about 5 minutes, the mixture should be the consistency of custard
Add the chocolate and stir until completely melted
Take saucepan off the heat and add the butter
Pour custard into a clean bowl and cover with clingfilm – this has to touch the surface of the custard to prevent it forming a skin [yuk]
Leave to cool down and then pop in the fridge for a few hours
Choux pastry
Ingredients
100g plain flour
85g butter
3 eggs
Method
Preheat oven to 200C and line baking trays with greaseproof paper
Sift the flour into a bowl
Melt the butter in a pan with 225ml of water
Heat until the butter has melted and then bring to the boil
Immediately tip the sieved flour into the water and beat with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together and comes away from the side of the pan
Cool for five minutes
If you have a stand mixer, tip the mixture into there and slowly add the beaten egg
The mixture should be glossy and just holding its shape – test it by running your finger through to create a trench – if the sides stay in place then the pastry is ready
Empty the pastry into a piping bag and snip off a 1cm tip
Pipe onto the greaseproof paper small rounds, about 2cm in diameter
Bake for 20 minutes, take out of the oven and create a hole in the bottom of each choux pastry bun and then put back in the oven for a further 5 minutes to dry out
Leave to cool on a wire rack
Assembly of the choux pastry Christmas tree
You will need
Cakeboard
Candy melts or white chocolate
Green food colouring
Edible gold shimmer dust
Sprinkles
Piping bag and piping nozzle
Spoon the creme patisserie into the piping bag, secure at the top and then pipe into the bottom of each choux pastry bun
Once the piping has been completed, you can decorate each individual bun
I dipped each choux bun into coloured candy melts or white chocolate and dipped them in sprinkles to create a tinsel effect
When dry, it is time to assemble the tree!
Smear chocolate on the surface of the cakeboard and then build a tower of choux, using chocolate in between to act as glue
Top with the star – which was covered in white chocolate and sprayed with edible gold shimmer!