Ingredients
Scale
- Orange Pastry Cream
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 orange zested
- 2 TBS fresh squeezed orange juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 mounded cup sifted cornstarch
- 1 TBS butter
- 1 TBS orange liqueur, optional
- Cream Puffs
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- Confectioner's sugar, for dusting
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Orange Pastry Cream
- In a medium pan combine the milk, sugar, vanilla extract, and orange zest. Heat on medium until simmering.
- In a separate bowl, combine the yolks and cornstarch until smooth. It will be very thick.
- Once the milk mixture is at a simmer, temper the egg yolks by adding a half cup full of the hot mixture into the sugar and egg yolks while whisking constantly. Repeat with a few more half cups of the hot mixture, and then return the contents of the bowl to the pan.
- Stir the mixture constantly on medium heat until the mixture thickens like pudding (~ 200 degrees if using a thermometer)
- Strain the pastry cream through a fine meshed strainer to ensure it is completely smooth. Add the butter, orange juice, and orange liqueur if using. Stir well.
- Press plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pastry cream and refrigerate until chilled and ready to use.
- Cream Puffs
- Preheat the oven to 425F
- Place the water, butter, sugar, and salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat and cook until the butter is melted and the mixture is simmering.
- Dump in the flour all at once and stir for about 5 minutes, or until the dough gathers itself into a ball and a film begins to form on the bottom of the pot.
- Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl, and beat on medium speed for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, while continuing to beat. Allow each egg to become fully incorporated, before adding the next.
- Pipe or spoon 1.5 inch dough rounds onto parchment-lined baking sheets, allowing about 3 inches in between each puff. Use your finger to round off the top of each round.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes, depending on size. Puffs are done when they are puffed, golden brown, hollow, dry, and light. Allow to cool before filling.
- Assemble the Puffs
- Use a serrated edge knife to cut each puff in half. Spoon or pipe filling on the bottom half of each puff, and replace the top. Dust with powdered sugar.
- Place chocolate chips into the bottom corner of a microwave-safe plastic bag. Microwave for 20-30 seconds or until chocolate is melted. Massage the bag with your fingers after each 15 second increment (careful, it may be hot). Snip a tiny corner of the bag off and drizzle chocolate over the assembled puffs.
Notes
Note: I wanted a firm pastry cream that I could pipe into the puffs and have it hold its shape, so that's why I used a larger amount of cornstarch. If you prefer a looser cream, start with a little less cornstarch and alter the consistency as needed.
