Photography by Chia Chong
Recipe and Styling by Libbie Summers
Assisted by Candace Brower
Once you master the art of making a pâte a choux (an airy cream puff dough) the possibilities of its use are endless. You can fill the baked dough with a savory or sweet mixtures. In honor of our rhubarb week, we chose sweet.
Rhubarb Profiteroles
makes approximately 15
Ingredients:
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
6 tablespoons butter
Pinch salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 large eggs, and 2 egg whites
Pastry Cream (recipe to follow)
Rhubarb Puree (recipe HERE)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with a silicon mat or parchment paper and set aside.
In a large heavy bottomed saucepan add the milk, brown sugar, butter and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and add the flour all at once. Using a wooden spoon, stir crazy fast until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pan and a tight dough forms, about 2-5 minutes.
Transfer the dough into the bowl of a standing mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment. Turn the mixer on low allowing the dough to cool for about 4 minutes. Slowly add the eggs one at a time, making sure the egg is completely incorporated before adding the next. Once all the eggs are added continue mixing until the dough is smooth and shiny.
Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a large plain tip. Pipe golf ball-sized mounds onto the baking sheets, leaving 1 inch between them. Cook for ten minutes, then turn the oven down to 350 degrees and continue cooking for 15-20 minutes or until they are golden brown. Allow to cool completely.
To assemble: Cut the profiteroles in half. Swirl some or all of the Rhubarb Puree into the chilled Pastry Cream before filling a piping bag with it. Pipe a generous amount of the filling onto the bottoms of each profiterole. Replace the top and serve.
Pastry Cream
makes about 3 ½ cups
Ingredients:
2 ½ cups milk
8 egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon vanilla paste
2 tablespoons butter
Directions
In a large heavy bottomed saucepan heat the milk on medium high heat until it starts to simmer. While the milk is heating whisk the egg yolks, sugar, vanilla paste and cornstarch together in a separate bowl. Temper the milk into the egg yolk mixture by slowly ladling a cup of the hot milk into the bowl and whisking constantly. When the egg yolks are tempered add to the pot. Whisk constantly until the pastry cream starts to thicken making sure it bubbles. Add in the butter. Strain through a wire mesh strainer to remove any lumps and allow to cool.
NOTE: Make sure to put plastic wrap directly onto the pastry cream when storing to prevent it from developing a skin.
