Pâte à choux!..All so French ^^ wee chef?

 

Pâte à choux, choux pastry also known to many as cream puff..But actually cream puff is one of the many things that can be evolved from this pastry. Some of you who've read my blog from months before might have seen me made this before =) I was no stranger to this pastry..in fact I've made it many many time at home..but even though with much practice some how I haven't master it yet..there were still some flops from time to time =( Without know why, which is the worst part. After experiencing some of the same deja vu at school, I've finally realised my mistake..which I think many have had the same problem..which is the baking process..I find this pastry quite amazing..it's first pre-cooked before then you add more eggs into it and then this liquid-y batter suddenly poofs up in the up like spring daisy! it's quite an interesting sight in the oven..this gives it a light, and hollow pastry filled with aroma =)

The other best part of this pastry is that it's all so versatile! depending on the shape, size and pattern you piped, you can practically make at least 5 different types with the same batter =) It's one of the best representative of the french pastry..We know that the french love and are very proud of their pastries and who could blame them? they are just so GOOD at making them!

My first good looking eclair...after many trials of piping the right shape and dipping it with fondant and etc for deco, I've finally made one that I personally think looks quite attractive..not to toot my own horn..'beep beep'..but still chef said it was a tad small..oh well, try and try again =)..the other plus point is that you are able to fill you choux pastry with whatever you like..but of course something that matches..hehe not just anything..any cream in general =)

Religieuse

Choux Chantily 

Paris-brest

ST. Honour

Don't you feel it's like the transformer? hehe it's quite cool I think =) and the most challenging one out of all was...'drum rolls'

 

croquembouche!

See! even the spelling is hard..don't even talk about the assembling part! It's a traditional dessert and quite significant to the french culture..It's usually made for weddings..all filled and then drizzled with caramel to hold it all together =) You may search online to look for a more professionally made one..they are quite amazing, not just the deco but the sear size of the ones made in France 0.0 as tall as a person! chef made a mini one just to demo to us..and so did we! =)

Haha you can see chef secretly laughing at ours..LOL! and of course I made some cream puff too! filled with hazelnut pastry cream which I've never tried in the past and it was all GOOD! =)

before

after! =) yummy!

More delicious dessert to come!