#129 Date-night Peanut, Malt and choccy cream puffs (aka ‘I love Choux’ profiteroles)
Since COVID, since I found this comfy space to express my creative passion (obsession for gluten) and vomit my thoughts, since I found you guys(!), I’ve become very home-y, and do-y (around the home) and I generally feel like I don’t want to step beyond my patch very much. What’s the point when I can be ‘home-ing’, ‘doing’ and just ‘being’ quite nicely in my safe, cosy space?
This is all fine and lovely for me most of the time; I’ve never been that great at people-ing, or adventuring and my head generally feels calmer, less edgy, less spiky, when it doesn’t have to face newness or unpredictability. The problem though, is that when one is then forced to venture beyond the local radius, it all feels considerably more daunting than it should. And it gets worse the less you do, you know?
On Wednesday, I had my routine physio appointment over in Manchester and much as I usually quite enjoy the experience, I felt disproportionately anxious leading up to it. It’s the upset to the status quo, the thought of the journey, the ‘everything-that-will-happen-differently-that day’, all that won’t be able to happen (baking, cleaning, pottering) that makes my head feel fizzy.
So, yeah, I started the week in a state of hyperarousal… how I imagine a wildebeest might feel when it can sense a peckish lion around the corner, you know? What didn’t help my mood, was the moment I re-filleted my thumb on Sunday evening. This felt like a sign from the universe that I really MUST keep my wits about me. It also tells you that a) I learned absolutely nothing from last week when I hacked at this thumb and b) that I should not be left with alone with knives. I’m still giving everyone a thumbs up, freak!
So, my fear response on Monday and Tuesday was to chain bake around 100 (ish) Choux buns (casual), then fill them with whipped creamy things (the ultimate being a malt flavoured cream), and dunk them in chocolate soup (liquid gold), each time tweaking things to achieve perfection, also licking the spoons and bowls because, this stuff is medicine!
It was all quite delicious of course, and I’m thrilled to be sharing the recipe with you below - a PERFECT date night, love filled V-Day treat for you and maybe your loved one(s) too if you want to share, but it also provided all the mind-distracting self-soothing comfort that I required which was doubly useful.
What’s strange is that, it’s now Thursday, the day after the ‘Grand Day Out’, and as I sit here typing away, (mug of Tea pigs ‘Earl Grey Strong tea - on offer in Waitrose at the moment, by the way, still expensive but a semi-justifiable price now - to hand, and a hot water bottle strapped to my waist), I still feel ‘on edge’. Like the lion is still lurking. And the 5 rescue remedy gummy pastels I just chain-ate seem to be wedged in my throat, which feels harshly ironic.
So, it turns out that any lifey disruption not only affects me in the lead up to the event, but also for at least 24 hours after it… I have ‘post-appointment-anxiety’ PAA for short, super! I think sleep and some bread-baking, (crackers too, elite snack material) may be required, yes, let’s make that a priority!
Some rosy morsels, titbits, to-do’s:
The ginger cake! Friends, you know I forgot to invite sugar to the ginger cake party last week? Well, I made the cake again (between Choux-ing), this time, sugar got the memo, and I’m telling you now, it’s WILD. I had zero intention of sharing this recipe, it also feels ever so Autumn/November, a little out of Vogue at this time of year. But I think you need to try it as a matter of urgency, it’s so soft, light but also a hug, a DODDLE to make, it’s fiery with ginger - really awakens the senses -and possibly, (probably) a panacea for all health issues*! Would be great warm with a butterscotch sauce and ice cream, maybe poached rhubarb too? Or my new favourite whipped cream cheese frosting? Or just as it comes - keeps like a dream - if I walked up a mountain (which I don’t generally do), I can imagine eating a square at the top, probably out of a grotty piece of tin foil, it tasting even more elite, and subsequently feeling supercharged with energy for the descent. It’s defo a multipurpose cake! Let me write up the recipe and you can have it next week, yes?
*not entirely backed by science!
This absurdly cute but also quite pointless (we can overlook that because cute outweighs functionality, right?) little ‘Mon petit Chou’ ceramic dish (from Oliver Bones, btw - a shop so full of things that you absolutely don’t need but will probably buy anyway because, SO PRETTY!).
Did you know that Chou means cabbage in French and thus, choux pastry gets its name because the baked pastry resembles small cabbages? SO FUN! Also, very ‘on brand’ this week, don’t you think? I didn’t buy the dish, (very restrained of me), but I feel I NEED it!
The brightest, bluest, sky… the definition of ‘AZURE’? Happiful!
More reading, less scrolling, also more learning… tell me all your random facts, I’m so here for them. Like the population of Greenland (56,800 ish - so small!! For context, the population of Chester - a TOWN, was 92,760 ish in 2021), and that slugs have 27,000 teeth-like protrusions called ‘denticles’ (as if slimy slugs have gnashers?), oh AND the fact that if you spell the word ‘S.O.C.K.S’ out loud, you’re suddenly fluent in Spanish. ‘Eso sí qua es’ means, ‘That’s really what it is’ (very useful phrase). Is that not the coolest thing ever? So, yes… I want more read-age (newsletters, books, articles) and subsequently, (hopefully), more delicious learn-age… send me your recommendations/facts!
Northern Pasta Co’s Gigli - 1. This has to be the most loveable name for pasta - in my head, it’s happy (giggling). 2. It looks like a supermodel - so pretty - and its alternative name (Campanelle) translates as ‘bellflowers’ or little bells - very cute 3. This brand of pasta is so elite; it’s made from premium British spelt which gives it a wonderful nutty flavour, it also boasts a pretty fabulous nutrient profile, such an all-rounder!
Right, I think that covers this week. How’s everyone doing? Thank you SO much for your messages, you’re all just so wonderful. I’m so sorry if I haven’t got back to you, but I want you to know that I read every message and comment… and they all make my heart burst every time. Thank you all for being here.
Buckets of love, as always,
Steph X X X
Date-night Peanut, Malt and choccy cream puffs (aka ‘I love Choux’ profiteroles)
Crisp choux topped with roasted peanut craquelin, filled with brown sugar and malt-powder whipped cream, and topped with chocolate sauce + optional roasted peanuts
Profiteroles seem like such a perfect Valentines Day dessert… sort of ‘sexy’ and love-filled plus delicious, of course. Enough effort to demonstrate that you really love someone (that someone could be yourself, by the way - edible self-love presents are a thing), but not too showy or stressful? Also, such a mindful bake, I find!
Delia (Smith) taught me how to make choux, (not literally, her recipe was the first I tried) somehow, she made (makes) everything so accessible, I think? Anyway, I’ve pivoted from her recipe a bit these days, hopefully for the better? A slightly richer, tastier dough, a couple of different steps, and a bit of extra bling to make these cuties really SHINE.
For this particular recipe, I’ve slightly tweaked my standard ultra-tender choux recipe, reducing the butter a touch and baking the buns at a lower temperature. I still ADORE my usual recipe (here), however, I’ve found that the recipe below is a bit more robust against these bold flavours, and the lower bake temperature mitigates the risk of erratic rising. I’ve also experienced a few issues with my choux ‘catching’ a bit if baked at higher temps in my new, seemingly supersonic oven*, thus, this gentler approach has been favourable.
*On this, if you know your oven to be a bit weaker, it might be worth upping the bake temp to 175C.
The peanut craquelin that tops the choux makes them even more delicious, a sweet, crunchy, nutty hat, SO GOOD! Topping your choux with craquelin also helps them rise SO proud, it’s a really majestic thing to watch, yes, I’m actively encouraging you to watch your oven, although don’t expect to witness much activity for the first 5-10 minutes!!
The brown sugar and malt powder (Horlick’s) whipped cream filling is also wickedly good - you will seriously just want to marinate in this. So, moussey and light, but also rich and comforting, creamy, cosy, delicious! Paired with the crisp choux, and drowned in a silky rich chocolate sauce, it’s such a heavenly combo!
I’ve assembled mine to make them look a bit more sophisticated, an elegant take on profiteroles but that’s really not essential.
If you want to simplify things, you can omit the craquelin, just be prepared for your choux to look a bit smaller and more gnarly - cabbage-y. Similarly, if you don’t like the flavour of malt powder, just fill the buns with your favourite whipped cream filling (plain, boozy, coffee flavoured?) or custard… all get a yes from me! You can also just chop the choux in half and spoon the cream in instead of piping the filling into them, and subsequently pour the chocolate sauce over the top for that traditional rustic feel.
Really, I’m just urging you to make some profiteroles for happiness value. If you want, (I’d be delighted if you did), you can use my recipe below!!!
Right, there isn’t much more for me to say on the matter - just go bake some profiteroles now, optionally my version, and be very happy!
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