Making cream puffs is easier than you think. The dough comes together quickly on the stovetop, so be sure to have all of the ingredients ready before you start. For a splash of colour, you can garnish the wreath with fresh bay leaves and sugared cranberries (made by tossing fresh or frozen berries in egg white then granulated sugar).
- Portion size 36 servings
- Credits : Canadian Living Magazine: December 2012
Ingredients
Peppermint Filling:
Method
Peppermint Filling: In small saucepan, bring cream to boil; pour over chocolate in heatproof bowl, stirring until melted. Stir in peppermint extract. Loosely cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours. Using electric mixer, whisk until thickened and soft peaks form (do not overbeat).In saucepan, bring milk, granulated sugar and salt to boil over medium-high heat, stirring. Stir in butter until melted. Reduce heat to medium-low; add flour all at once and beat with wooden spoon until dough comes cleanly off side of pan but lightly films bottom of pan.
Transfer to stand mixer with paddle attachment; beat on medium speed for 30 seconds. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating each until thoroughly incorporated. (Or remove saucepan from heat; with wooden spoon, beat in eggs, 1 at a time.)
Using piping bag fitted with 3/4-inch (2 cm) star tip, pipe dough, 2 inches (5 cm) apart, into 1-1/2-inch (4 cm) circles, about 1/2 inch (1 cm) high and dragging tip toward you to create tip of leaf, onto 2 parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
Bake in top and bottom thirds of 400ºF (200ºC) oven, switching and rotating pans after 8 minutes, until golden, 14 to 16 minutes.
Reduce heat to 350ºF (180ºC); bake until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Turn off heat; open door slightly and let dry in oven until cool enough to handle. Remove to racks; let cool completely.
Cut each leaf in half horizontally. Spoon filling into each bottom; replace top. To serve, arrange leaves on large platter with points facing outward to resemble wreath. Dust with icing sugar.
Nutritional facts Per piece: about
- Fibre trace
- Sodium 36 mg
- Sugars 6 g
- Protein 2 g
- Calories 120.0
- Total fat 9 g
- Potassium 51 mg
- Cholesterol 40 mg
- Saturated fat 5 g
- Total carbohydrate 9 g
%RDI
- Iron 1.0
- Folate 5.0
- Calcium 3.0
- Vitamin A 6.0
