Mocha Cream Puffs

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Mocha Cream Puffs are chocolaty, light, and perfectly delicious.  Especially with the light and creamy tiramisu style coffee mascarpone and whipped cream filling.

This post is sponsored in conjunction with #SpringSweetsWeek. I received product samples from sponsor companies to help in the creation of the #SpringSweetsWeek recipes. All opinions are mine alone. Thank you for supporting the brands that support A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures.

 

These are a bucket list item for me. I have never made choux pastry before for anything. I’ve never made profiterole, cream puffs, eclairs; nothing that requires choux pastry. It was something I was sort of afraid of because there’s a lot of stirring involved. And if it’s not cooked right it can go wrong.

 

Yes. I realize many say the same thing about macaron. And there are those that say choux pastry is not that intimidating! But to me, it sort of was. But like with macaron, I was determined to try them and see what happens. By the way, my first macaron recipe is here.

 

 

Who invented cream puffs?

 

As with all age-old recipes, that remains to be seen. Everyone wants the claim to fame on these recipes. But we have to southern Germany and France at around the 13th century. They made a cheese bun of similar pastry baked in an oven. Then they sliced the buns open and put cheese in there. The hot buns melted the cheese. I am totally trying this.

 

Pastry chefs in England and France were both playing around with the same type of pastry dough. A combination of pastry flour, fat, eggs, and water combined to make choux pastry. They called it choux pastry because the buns made with the pastry looked like cabbage. You guessed it! The French word for cabbage is choux. And a term of endearment in French is mon petite choux-choux. My little cabbage cabbage. At least so they told me in school.

 

 

And as if the history of cream puffs isn’t confusing enough, the name changes depending on how you cook the dough. There’s choux pastry, puff pastry, profiteroles, and buns. And to made things even worse, dishes varied by restaurant. You can order profiterole in a French restaurant and order them in an English restaurant and get two different desserts.

 

What are profiterole?

 

They’re basically cream puffs. Cream puffs that have a cream filling and are dipped in caramel. These were made famous by chef Antonin Carême. He was the first to fill and dip the baked pastry. And then went on to make the Croquembouche. This is a tower of profiterole stacked in a pyramid. It’s then drizzled with a hard caramel that looks like spun silk when it’s finished. It’s an amazing sight. But I’ve never had it.

 

 

Now, I’ve been reading that cream puffs and profiteroles vary, but I think they’re the same thing. Some sites will tell you that profiterole have ice cream filling. I’ve never had one that was frozen but apparently you can fill them with ice cream. I may have to try that, too. The Joy of Cooking just lists pastry cream or ice cream as appropriate fillings. So, put whatever you want in there.

 

What’s with the name profiterole? Well, historians think it’s related to the word for profit or small reward. It aptly describes the nature of the cream puff or profiterole. It’s a small 2 or 3 bites of choux pastry goodness filled with whatever you want. Cheese, pastry cream, whipped cream, ice cream, or in this case mascarpone whipped cream.

 

 

What about the Wisconsin State Fair cream puffs?

 

What surprises me is that the Wisconsin State Fair apparently sells a TON of cream puffs. In 2015 alone, they sold over 400K of those delicious gems. It totally cracks me up that one guy sited in an article about the Wisconsin State Fair Team Cream Puff is called Puff Daddy. That’s just too frickin funny.

 

Cream puffs debuted in the 1924 Wisconsin State Fair. And it was a match made in heaven ever since. The Wisconsin Bakers Association created a glass window to showcase all the recipes made with Wisconsin dairy. The cream puff was popular but it wasn’t until after the war where it skyrocketed in popularity. FYI during the war, cream was in short supply so cream puffs weren’t possible.

 

 

But when the Dairy Bakery opened back up in 1947 they were more popular that ever. And, in 2011, Puff Daddy and his team set out to make the biggest cream puffs. Like Guinness World Record sized cream puff. It topped the scales at 125 pounds with 15.5 gallons of cream inside. That is one GYNORMOUS cream puff.

 

What do mocha cream puffs taste like?

 

Okay. I’m not ashamed to admit that I did more taste tests than I should have. There I was, standing in the kitchen. Eyeing the pan I the oven like a hawk. I could see them puff up. I had forgotten to turn the oven down on the first batch. Don’t do this. You need to turn the oven down so the inside gets cooked. So, the first batch was a little dry on the inside. No worries. They’re getting stuffed anyway.

 

 

The second batch, I didn’t forget to turn down the oven. And they were so moist and delicious in the inside. Not dry at all. They have a hint of chocolate flavor making them rich and delicious. The outside is tender. They’re not crisp. See the notes section of the recipe if you want them to be crisp. I didn’t know this when I started down the path of making these mocha cream puffs. But it’s food for thought. Pun intended.

 

Now, the no shame part comes in with the filling. Y’all. I wanted to eat the whole batch of the filling all my myself. In the closet. With a spoon. It is THAT good!! I started down the path of whipping the cream and then folding in the mascarpone, but then it looked too thick. I added more whipping cream and bet it again. Then added a hint of almond paste and instant coffee. Then I realized I should have let the coffee set in the whipping cream to dissolve. Follow the instructions.

 

 

Just look at that mocha cream puff! The crumb of the choux pastry, the creamy, rich color of the filling. I’m totally drooling. These need to go on the menu again. And soon! The slightly sweet, airy, and coffee laced mascarpone whipped cream filling is totally addictive. I am using it for more than just these cream puffs! I have no idea what else, but sometime. It’s THAT good.

 

And never be afraid to just jump feet first into making something. It’s a bucket list for a reason! You want to accomplish these things. So, do it! They’re not as hard as you think. These recipes are not as intimidating as you think. And there’s always someone that’s made them and is willing to help trouble shoot. Like me with macaron. I’ve had it all happen to me! So, just get out there and cook up some delicious mocha cream puffs. You’re family will thank you! And I thank you!

Monday #SpringSweetsWeek Recipes

• Blood Orange Shortbread Cookies from Jolene’s Recipe Journal
• Carrot Bundt Cake from Kathryn’s Kitchen Blog
• Carrot Halwa Ice Cream from Magical Ingredients
• Coconut Pudding with Dragon Fruit from Shockingly Delicious
• Crystalized Ginger Scones with Sake Poached Asian Pears from The Spiffy Cookie
• Easter Candy Crack Bars from Cookaholic Wife
• Easter Charcuterie Board from Devour Dinner
• Frozen Lemonade Pie from Cheese Curd In Paradise
• Hummingbird Cupcakes from Red Cottage Chronicles
• Instant Pot Key Lime Cheesecake from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Key Lime Bundt Cake from Jen Around the World
• Key Lime Pie from Blogghetti
• Lemon Blueberry Jelly Roll from That Recipe
• Lemon Posset Tart from Art of Natural Living
• Mocha Cream Puffs from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Orange Unicorn Doughnuts from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Strawberry Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake from Palatable Pastime
• Strawberry Lemonade Mascarpone Cheesecakes from Karen’s Kitchen Stories

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