Whipped Cream & Chocolate Glaze

I know I said in the Cream Puff Tutorial that I would post the whipped cream and chocolate glaze instructions, too, so here they are:

Chocolate Glaze:

First melt about 1 cup of chocolate chips. I used semi-sweet mini chocolate chips.

Next whisk together:

2 Cups Powdered Sugar

5 tbsp butter (I used salted)

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

4 tbsp water (add more if you need it)

You should get a nice glaze

Next pour glaze into melted chocolate and whisk.

Depending on how cold your chocolate has gotten, it might have clumps, which is okay, because you will be putting it over a double boiler and it will remelt.

Place bowl over double boiler (pot of simmering water) to keep warm while dipping.

Whipped Cream

Before hand, put bowl and whisk in fridge or freezer to get cold. Make sure the bowl and whisk are spotless and grease-free.

Pour heavy cream (or manufacturer's cream) into mixer, start mixing on low and gradually turn up to high to prevent splattering.

Whip cream until stiff peaks. We use stiff peaks because we want the cream to hold it's shape inside the cream puffs.

Add 1 tsp vanilla and granulated sugar to taste (I used 1/2 Cup because I like it sweet.)When it's finished, cover with plastic wrap or foil and place in fridge until you need to use it. When you're ready to use it, you can pipe it out of a piping bag with pastry tip or use a handy little contraption like the Wilton Dessert Decorator Pro, shown here.

Note: Unless you use a stabilizer in your whipped cream, which I didn't, anything with the cream in it will have to be refrigerated until ready to eat.

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Here Cookie Cookie..

So in light of my future Flash class assignment, I had to make a variety of decorated cookies. I made a baby bottle, wedding cake, princess crown and snowflake. I also baked a birthday cake shaped cookie but haven't decorated it yet because it won't be used on the assignment so it can wait. I did very simple decorations because these cookies are being used in a tutorial assignment and I wanted them to be easy. I did do a little piping work on the wedding cake cookie but I couldn't help myself. Well, here they are..

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Cream Puffs

Cream puffs with whipped cream filling and dusted with confectioners sugar.

Cream puffs with whipped cream filling and chocolate glaze.

“Some pursue happiness — others create it.”

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Cream Puff - The Magic Dragon

Here is a tutorial of how to make Cream Puffs, shown above.

For the pate a choux (pat-a-shoe), or the cream puff dough, you will need:

1 Stick (1/2 Cup) Unsalted Butter
1/2 tsp salt (I used salted butter and therefore omitted the salt)
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 Cup Water
1 Cup All-Purpose Flour (sifting not necessary)
4 Large Eggs

Preheat oven to 425F.

Combine butter, salt, water and sugar in saucepan. Bring to rolling boil over medium heat.

As soon as the rolling boil begins, dump in all of the flour, all at once.

Stir vigorously.

The batter will begin to pull away from the sides and clump into a ball.

Put into stand mixer. You can use a hand mixer if you choose.

Add eggs one at a time, incorporating each before adding another.

When the batter is fully mixed, it should have a shine or gloss to it.

Prepare your piping bag and large round tip. You can also spoon the batter onto the pan.

Place parchment paper onto the sheet pan/cookie sheet.

Pipe round mounds of batter onto sheet pan. I swirl it before pulling bag away to prevent large points from forming.

Fill sheet pan with evenly spaced mounds. I made mine 1 1/2 inches wide.

Place in preheated oven. Bake 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, DO NOT TAKE OUT. Turn temperature down to 375F and leave in for additional 25-30 minutes, depending on the size of your cream puffs. You are trying to dry out the insides and create a hollow shell.

Once they are baked, cut them open. The inside will still be a little "doughy". Take a fork and scrape it out.

Now you are done with the baking process. I will post the chocolate glaze and whipped cream tutorials soon.

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