Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (125ml) milk + extra for brushing
- 1/2 cup (125ml) water
- 2/5 cup (100g) butter, cubed
- 1/2 tsp (3ml) salt
- 1 tsp (5ml) sugar
- 1 cup (150g) cake flour
- 4-5 eggs
- 1L vanilla pastry cream (recipe below)
- 700ml dark chocolate ganache (recipe opposite)
- FOR VANILLA PASTRY CREAM:
- 2 2/5 cups (600ml) milk
- seeds of 1 vanilla pod or 1 tsp (5ml) vanilla essence
- 6 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup (100g) castor sugar
- 1/4 cup (60g) cornflour
- 1/3 cup (50g) cubed butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C.
- Heat milk, water, butter, salt and sugar in a pot until boiling, stirring regularly.
- Once boiling, reduce heat and add cake flour.
- Stir with a wooden spoon until mixture pulls away from sides of the pot, forming a ball.
- Place dough in a bowl and mix in one egg at a time (making sure each egg is fully incorporated before the next one).
- Stir until smooth and glossy (it should have a ribbon-like consistency).
- Place dough into a piping bag and pipe small rounds onto lined baking trays.
- Dip the back of a teaspoon in extra milk and run over each round of dough to smooth out.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes (don't open the oven sooner than that or the pastries will collapse).
- Remove pastries and prick the bases with a sharp knife, allowing air to escape.
- Cool on a wire rack.
- Pipe cream custard into hollow pastry cases.
- Dip half of each pastry in ganache, allowing excess to drip off.
- Turn over quickly and place on a serving plate.
- Serve immediately or keep leftovers in the fridge.
- FOR VANILLA PASTRY CREAM:
- Heat 2 2/5 cups (600ml) milk and seeds of 1 vanilla pod or 1 tsp (5ml) vanilla essence in a pot until simmering.
- Whisk 6 egg yolks, 1/2 cup (100g) castor sugar and 1/4 cup (60g) cornflour together in a bowl until smooth.
- Add a third of warm milk to egg mixture and mix well.
- Add this mixture to remaining milk and stir continuously over medium heat until thick, boiling gently for 2-3 minutes.
- Remove and cool slightly.
- Stir 1/3 cup (50g) cubed butter into custard until smooth and shiny.
- Cover with clingfilm until it reaches room temperature.
- Serve in choux puffs or store in the fridge for up to three days.