Angela Day
BASIC CHOUX PASTRY
MAKES 12-15
250ml water
100g butter
250ml flour, sifted
3-4 eggs
Put the water and butter in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
Remove from the heat and add in all the flour. Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a ball in the centre of the pan. Remove from pan and allow to cool completely.
Add three eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add only enough of the fourth egg to make a dough that is stiff and shiny and holds its shape.
Place spoonfuls of the mixture on a greased baking tray and bake at 180ºC for 20-30 minutes until puffed up and golden brown. Remove and pierce the side of each puff so steam can escape.
Return to oven for another five minutes, turning temperature down to 160ºC. Remove and cool completely and fill as desired.
PRAWN GOUGERE
SERVES 6-8
Gougere is a savoury choux pastry dish mixed with cheese and served plain, or with a savoury filling.
1 quantity basic choux pastry
60g Cheddar cheese, grated
salt and pepper
FILLING
1 medium onion, chopped
15g butter
15ml flour
250ml chicken or vegetable stock
10ml chopped fresh parsley
300g prawns, shelled
2 tomatoes, skinned, seeds removed and shredded
15ml finely grated Parmesan cheese
Prepare the choux pastry as instructed in the basic choux recipe.
Once the paste is made, stir in cheese and season.
FILLING: Cook the onion in the butter until soft. Remove saucepan from the heat and stir in the flour. Cook for a few minutes over medium heat and pour in the stock. Bring to the boil.
Remove from heat and add the prawns, parsley and tomatoes.
Spread half the choux pastry around the sides and base of a well-greased 15x20cm ovenproof dish. Pour in the filling.
Spoon remaining pastry in a border around the edge of the dish.
Sprinkle with grated cheese and bake at 200ºC for 30 to 40 minutes until puffed and golden brown. Serve warm with a green salad.
CUSTARD ECLAIRS
MAKES 10-12
1 quantity of choux pastry
CUSTARD CREAM
250ml milk
15ml castor sugar
45ml custard powder mixed with 30ml milk
250ml cream, whipped
Place a 2cm-diameter plain nozzle into a clean piping bag and spoon in the choux dough.
Pipe 10 thick lines, about 10cm long, and 4cm apart, on a lined tray. Bake in a preheated oven at 180ºC for 20-30 minutes until puffed and golden.
Use a small knife to make a cut into the side of each eclair and return to oven for a further 10 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave eclairs to cool until required.
Use a sharp knife to cut a small hole at one end of the eclair and pipe in the custard. Drizzle with melted chocolate or glacé icing.
CUSTARD CREAM: Heat milk and sugar in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the custard paste and whisk until boiling and thickened.
Transfer to a heatproof bowl. Cover the surface with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill.
Once cooled, use an electric beater to beat the custard until smooth. Add the whipped cream and continue beating until it forms soft peaks.
Place a 2cm-diameter plain nozzle into a clean piping bag and fill with the custard.
CHURROS WITH CHOCOLATE SAUCE
SERVES 6-8
1 quantity of choux pastry
vegetable oil, for deep-frying
125ml icing sugar, sifted
CHOCOLATE SAUCE
200g dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
200ml cream
Spoon the prepared dough into a piping bag fitted with a 2cm-star nozzle.
Add enough oil to a large saucepan or deep-fat fryer and heat to 180ºC. Pipe four 5cm lengths of dough into the oil, cutting each with a small, sharp knife.
Deep-fry for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to transfer churros to a plate lined with paper towel. Dust with icing sugar. Repeat with the remaining dough. Arrange on a platter and serve with chocolate dipping sauce.
SAUCE: Combine chocolate and cream in a small saucepan over medium heat.
Cook, stirring, for five minutes until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth.
For the choux pastry in this recipe, you can use all four eggs as the dough is being fried, not baked, and it won’t matter if the dough is softer.
* The Angela Day cookery column is published in The Star, the Cape Argus, the Daily News and the Pretoria News.