昨日是堂弟的生日, 我的叔叔替他弄了一個生日會!

我們除了有美味的海鮮餐外, 還有壓軸的生日蛋糕! (我吃了兩大件呢!)

我亦為堂弟做了一個甜品, 是Pâte à choux 奶油球。其實多年前已經做過了, 不過, 最近有一本新的法式食譜, 覺得他們的份量很好,所以今次用了這個來做!

這個甜品的做法不太複雜, 只是常常要留意烤的時間, 一定不可有甚麼差池!

先post上食譜, 待後再放上詳細一點的圖片和應該注意的地方。

Ingredients:
1 cup (250 ml) water
1 cup (250 ml) milk
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
7/8 cup (1 ¾ sticks or 200 g) unsalted butter, cut in pieces
1 2/3 cups (235 ml or 235 g) all-purpose flour
6 – 7 large eggs

1) preheat the oven to 425F / 220C.

2) In a large heavy saucepan, combine the water, milk, salt , sugar, and butter. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring until the butter melts and the liquid is boiling.

3) Meanwhile, sift the flour onto the sheet of wax paper. Remove the pan from the heat and add the flour in a thin stream. Stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon.

4) Return the pan to medium heat and stir vigorously for 1 minute, until the mixture pulls away form the side of the pan. This will dry the mixture out. Don’t over cook at this stage.

5) Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer (or continue to mix with a wooden spoon). Working at medium speed, incorporate the eggs one at a time, mixing until the dough is nicely smooth.

6) After the 5th egg, beat the last 2 individually , adding just as much as you need so that when the mixture is lifted with a spoon, a peak stands up, then droops over slightly.

7) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or butter and flour the sheet.

8) Spoon the pate a choux into a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip. Pipe balls of dough on the sheet.

9) Gently brush the surface of the dough with the yolk glaze (mix 1 large egg yolk with ½ tsp of cold water).

10) Bake the pastry for 10 minutes, or until it has puffed and is lightly golden. Lower the oven temperature to 350F/175C and bake until the pastry is golden brown, about 30 minutes longer.

11) Prop the oven door slightly ajar with the handle of a wooden spoon and leave the pastry in the oven for 15 minutes longer keeping the oven at 350F/175C to help dry out the pastry. Remove from the oven and cool the pan on a wire rack.

Note: The unbaked dough will keep well for 3 days, tightly sealed in the refrigerator. It can also be successfully frozen.

”Paris Boulangerie Patisserie, Recipes from 13 outstanding French Bakeries”, Linda Dannenberg,New York: Clarkson Potter, 1994,p.83&147.
ISBN 0-517-22490-9