Ingrid Schatz ~ Mineral, Virginia ~ Louisa County Fair
This amazing dessert takes cream puffs to a new level – truly a reputation maker!
Chocolate-Hazelnut Cream Puffs
Makes 8 – 10
Cream Puff Dough
½ cup plus 2 T. whole milk
1/3 cup plus 2 T. water
7 T. butter
1 tsp. salt
1 T. sugar
1¼ cups flour
5 eggs
½ cup chopped, toasted Hazelnuts
Heat milk, water, butter, salt and sugar in a saucepan to the boil. Remove from heat, add flour and quickly stir. Place back on the heat and stir the mixture until the dough no longer sticks to spoon and clings together. Remove from heat and start beating in eggs, one at a time. Place dough in gallon zip-top bag. Push to the corner and snip close to the edge. Pipe the dough into rounds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle generously with toasted hazelnuts (*see below). Bake at 350°F for 40 – 55 minutes, depending on how firm you like your cream puffs – they will continue to deepen in color the longer they bake. Place on a cooling rack, and pierce each with a pick to release stem as they cool.
Milk Chocolate-Hazelnut Mousse
¾ tsp. (1/2 packet) unflavored gelatin
2 eggs
7 egg yolks
4 T. water and ½ cup plus 2 T. Heavy whipping cream
½ cup sugar
2 cups (14 oz.) good quality Milk chocolate
1/3 cup (2 oz.) good quality Dark chocolate
1/3 cu Hazelnut Praline Paste (or Nutella or hazelnut butter)
1 cup plus 6 T. Heavy whipping cream
Place gelatin in 2 T. cold water. Let sit for two minutes, then microwave for 20 seconds.
Place eggs, egg yolks, water and heavy whipping cream in the top of a double boiler. Heat on medium, stirring constantly, until mixture just begins to boil, thickens and reaches 160°. Place in a mixer and whip on high, gradually adding the sugar. Continue beating until light, foamy and thickened. Add gelatin. Meanwhile, place chocolates in glass bowl and microwave for 1 minute, then for 20 second intervals (stirring between intervals) until melted. Stir in Hazelnut paste. Whip remaining whipping cream.
Pour chocolate mixture into egg mixture and blend very slowly until combined. Fold the
whipped cream into the mousse. Refrigerate several hours until fairly firm.
Assembly of Cream Puffs:
Melt ¼ cup of chocolate and set aside. Slice top of puffs; fill with mousse; re-place tops. Set on a baking tray and drizzle chocolate over top. Refrigerate. Serve chilled, dusted with powdered sugar. *If desired, hazelnuts can be added on top of melted chocolate instead of baked on puffs.
