Mendip Living Aug - Sep 2020

CHOUXNUTS
A little bit choux pastry, a little bit
doughnut - we think these Choux-nuts
by Juliet Sears are definitely worthy of a
Paul Hollywood handshake! Serves: 6
INGREDIENTS
Creme Diplomat:
4 Clarence Court egg yolks
60g flour
25g flour
2 tsp cornflour
280ml milk
Choux Pastry:
225g Clarence Court eggs
225g water
110g butter
130g plain flour
2 tbsp caster sugar
Pinch of salt
Vanilla extract (optional)
METHOD
Pre-heat the oven to 190°C and prepare
two baking trays with parchment paper.
In a pan, heat the water, sugar, salt and
butter until completely melted. Add
the flour and beat well on the heat for
4-5mins until dough comes away from
edges of the pan. Transfer the dough into
a bowl, leave to cool for 2-3mins. Slowly
add the egg, bit-by-bit, beating well
until the choux is the right consistency.
It should be stiff, but easily drop off the
spoon.
Put the choux paste into a piping bag.
Draw around a circular cutter onto the
parchment, flip the paper over and pipe
the choux circles. Place the trays in the
over, spray some water onto the base of
the oven and shut the door. Bake for 25-
35mins, don’t open the oven door until at
least 25mins or they’ll collapse.
To make the creme diplomat, beat the
egg yolks and sugar with the flours until
pale and thickened. Heat the milk in a
pan until just boiling, whisk the milk into
the egg mix and pour back into the pan.
Heat the mixture, stir continuously until
thick and boiling. Take off the heat, pour
onto a tray and cover with cling film –
make sure the cling film is touching the
creme patisserie to stop a skin forming.
Once the creme patisserie has cooled,
whisk 300ml of double cream with
vanilla to soft peak stage. Gently mix
the creme patisserie into the cream until
smooth. Poke a hole in the base of your
chouxnuts, then pipe in the cream until
you can feel that they’re full.
Leave the chouxnuts to one side and
make the fondant. Add water to the
fondant icing sugar, 1tsp at a time until
it’s thick – you can add colour if you
want to. Using a piping bag, pipe a ring
of fondant onto the chouxnuts then
decorate with edible flowers.
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