French cuisine

Medium

Cream Puff Swans

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Elegant, golden cream puff swans filled with rich and creamy pastry cream are a real show-stopper and a great way to show off with choux pastry piping.

Recipe

PRE TIME: 53 min

COOKING TIME: 7 min

TOTAL TIME: 1 hr

4 SERVING

Ingredients:

Pastry
1/3 cup Unsalted Butter
1 cup Water
1/4 tsp. Salt
1 1/4 cup All-purpose Flour
3 count Eggs
Cream Filling
2 tbsp. Granulated Sugar
1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1/2 tsp. Vanilla Bean Paste Or Vanilla Extract

Directions:

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 200ºF (93ºC). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Step 2

In a large saucepan, bring butter and water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add flour, salt, and stir quickly until all the flour is incorporated, about a minute. Remove from the heat and cool down to 140ºF (60ºC).

Step 3

Transfer the dough to the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat at medium speed for 1 minute to cool the dough down a little.

Step 4

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition; beat until the dough loses its “slimy” look, and each egg is incorporated. The dough should be thick, but should fall slowly and steadily from the beaters when you lift them out of the bowl.

Step 5

Using a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2" tip, pipe out 12 swan heads. (You’re aiming for something between a numeral 2 and a question mark, with a little beak if you’re skilled and/or lucky.) Bake 7 minutes at 200ºF (93ºC) until puffed up and light golden brown.

Step 6

Change the tip from the bag and pipe out 12 swan bodies. These will be about 3” long, and about 2” wide. One end should be a bit narrower than the other.

Step 7

Bake 7 minutes at 200ºF (93ºC) until puffed up and light golden brown. Try not to open the oven door too often during the baking. Let cool on the baking sheet.

Step 8

In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup heavy cream, 2 Tbsp sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. Beat on medium-high speed until fluffy with stiff peaks (2 minutes). Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large open star tip.

Step 9

Take a swan body and use a very sharp scissor to cut off the top 1/3rd to 1/2. Cut the removed top down the center to make two wings.

Step 10

Take a swan body and use a very sharp knife to cut off the top 1/3rd to 1/2. Cut the removed top down the center to make two wings. Pipe cream filling into the body. Glue the black sesame on two size of the head with honey as eyes. Insert the head, and sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.

Step 11

Enjoy!