baking partners

Chocolate Eclairs- Baking Partners Challenge 12

~ Huma ~ 15 Comments
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This month our Baking partners Challenge was to prepare Eclairs using Pate a Choux . This time Swati had given us the challenge to  choose between  Chocolate Eclairs or French laundry Gougeres.
To know more about Baking Partner Challenge please check this here

Now a little info on Pate a Choux: This dough is made using flour, eggs,butter & water. This is an airy puff dough &  can be used to make savory as well as sweet pastries.

I was bit worried initially how it will be hollow from inside. But this pastry is magical. & loved each bite of it.
I have halved recipe as always.
 
 
Now to the recipe.
 
 
 Makes 6 large Éclairs (Recipe from  Bouchon Bakery)
I
Pate a choux for Eclairs
 90 gm plain  flour
1tbsp + 2 tsp
1/2 cup Water               
 60 gm Unsalted butter at room temperature   
 1 gm salt

 2 large  eggs 

 II

Orange Custard (Filling
3/4 cups milk
1 Orange zest
2  Egg Yolks
20 gm  Sugar
1/2  tbsp  flour
1/5 tbsp  cornstarch

 III 
Chocolate Glaze 
1/3 cup semisweet choco chips
2 tbsp cream

 IV
Butter cream for decorating (OPT)
 
Method for making  Pate a choux for Eclairs
 
  1. Mix sugar & flour. 
  2. In a pan mix together water,butter & salt and heat on a low flame until butter melts.
  3. Now turn the heat up & bring to a simmer. Remove from the flame & add in the sugar & flour mixture.
  4. Stir well till all combined.
  5. Again put the pan on a medium flame continuously stirring till the mixture pulls away from the side & bottom of pan is clean.
  6. Immediately transfer the dough to the bowl & mix with your beater on low for a minute to release the steam & heat.
  7. Now add the eggs at a time beating till the mixture absorbs the each egg completely.
  8. After adding the egg, beat for about 2 -3 minutes.
  9. Test: Dough is ready  when its form a birds beak the the beater blade is lifted up. Meaning it should hold shape & turn down over itself.
  10. Now transfer the dough to a pastry  bag & chill until completely cold.
Baking the Eclair:
  1. Preheat the oven to 190°C
  2. Now with a star tip  pipe the eclairs to 6 inch line.(Distance between each eclairs should be 5 cm)
  3. Spray the eclair with little water.
  4. Place it immediately in the hot oven & turn down oven temp to 175°C
  5. Bake for 40 min, rotating the pan after 20 mins
  6. Again lower the temp to 160°C & bake for more 20 min
  7. These puffs are ready when they turn light brown , hollow & light.
  8. Remove & keep aside to cool completely before filling.
 
Method for making Orange Custard
  1. Warm milk with orange zest over a low heat  to infuse all the orange flavor in the milk
  2. Meanwhile mix together egg yolks,sugar,flour & cornstarch to a smooth paste.
  3. Temper the eggs  mixture with warm milk  stirring continuously.
  4. Now pour into the pan with the remaining hot milk
  5. Heat over a medium flame stirring continuously till the mixture reaches 75°C  and is very thick
  6. Remove from heat ( Cover with cling film so that skin does not form)
  7. Chill completely before piping into eclairs.
Method for making Chocolate Glaze

  1. Microwave for 10 secs Choco + cream.
  2. Remove & mix properly till both are blended.
How to fill the Éclairs
1. Use a 0.4-0.6 cm plane tip
2. Poke 2 holes at  each end of  éclair
3. Fill a pastry bag with orange custard 
4. Place the tip of the pastry bag into one of the holes and begin filling the éclair
5. Pipe cream as needed into the second hole or until the éclairs feels heavy.
6. Dip the eclair in Chocolate glaze &  pipe with butter icing in zig zag lines.

 
Baking Partners

Chocolate Layered Japanese Soft Cotton Cheesecake -BP Challenge

~ Huma ~ 19 Comments
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There are many recipes which I have bookmarked & written down thinking I will make it someday. But that someday never comes. Japanese Soft Cotton Cheesecake by Dianasdessert is one of the many recipe lying in my  book since 5 years

Thanks to our Baking Partner Challenge this month given by Swati & Reeni , this recipe had the chance to come into making.

As the name suggest the texture of this cheesecake is soft like cotton & melts in the mouth.

I had started making this cheesecake thinking to give a marbling effect but as I always say – It is not necessary that you get what you think. Interruptions, circumstances… well in all I can say I just  put the cake in the oven forgetting to swirl my coco & plain cheesecake batter.

 So the result we have is  simple layered chocolate cheesecake. But guys, this is also not too bad. End result is still delicious.

Now to the recipe.
I have halved the original recipe.First of all start with preparing your spring-form tin.

 
  1. Grease & line the bottom & sides of the pan with the baking paper
  2. Take a large piece of aluminium foil & cover the tin on all the side
  3. Aluminium foil has to be covered in such a way that water does not seep inside
  4. Sprinkle a bit of plain flour on the bottom

Now to preparing the Cheese cake Batter

1,2,3   In a double boiler melt cream cheese, butter & milk. Remove from heat & cool completely.
4,5,6   Fold in yolks, lemon juice & cornflour & flour
7.       Prepared batter
8.       In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy
9,10   Add in sugar in two parts & whisk till soft peaks.
11.    Fold in whipped egg whites with the the yolk mixture.
12.    Not take 1/3 part of the prepare cheescake mixture & mix 2 tbsp of cocoa powder. Keep aside.  
        Pour the remaining half part of the in the prepared springform pan. Next spread over the cocoa 
        mixture & the remaining batter.
 
Baking the Cheesecake
 
  1. Bake the Cheesecake in waterbath for 1hour @ 160 degrees or until golden brown & set.

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Serves: 6
Ingredients

I
25 gm butter
125gm cream cheese
50 ml fresh milk
 
II
1/2 tbsp. lemon juice
30 gm superfine flour
10 gm cornflour 
 2 pinches salt
III
70 gm sugar
3 egg whites
 
2 pin pinches. cream of tartar

Method:

 
  1. In a double boiler melt cream cheese, butter & milk.
  2. Remove from heat & cool completely. 
  3. Fold in yolks, lemon juice & cornflour & flour.Keep aside.
  4. In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy
  5. Add in sugar in two parts & whisk till soft peaks.
  6. Fold in whipped egg whites with the the yolk mixture.
  7. Not take 1/3 part of the prepare cheescake mixture & mix 2 tbsp of cocoa powder. Keep aside.
  8. Pour the remaining half part of the in the prepared springform pan.
  9. Next spread over the cocoa mixture & the remaining batter
  10. Bake the Cheesecake in waterbath for 1hour @ 160 degrees or until golden brown & set.
  11. Cool the cheescake completely @ room temperature.
  12. Keep it in fridge for 2 -3 hours before serving.