Cream Puffs and Eclairs

In the afternoon Bakeshop, we learned how to make Pate A Choux (or Eclair Dough - literally translated as "paste of cabbage") and Pastry Cream. Pate A Choux has tons of applications, from cream puffs and eclairs to churros and crullers. It's a pretty interesting product to work with, due to its unique mixing style and its texture. So I definitely learned a lot of new skills today, and I'm pretty sure these will be put to good use in the future. Who doesn't love a cream puff?

This recipe is interesting because it is also what we will be graded on during our practical final at the end of the semester. We will have to write the recipes from memory and then create them in superior form. You can bet that I will be practicing this over the course of the semester.



We made cream puffs by measuring the dough with a portion control scoop. The cream puff is sliced in half; pastry cream is piped into the bottom shell and then whipped cream is piped above it, about an inch thick. The top is dusted with powdered sugar and then carefully placed atop the cream so as not to smush the powdered design.

The eclair is shaped by piping with a pastry bag. It is then filled with pastry cream and then the top is dunked into chocolate. The plate above is what I'll be graded on for my final. I look forward to practicing!