Frasier Choux: Traditional cake in choux pastry form

Making choux pastry for me is quite fun, well, mixing checking, piping and waiting for it in front of the oven I love every steps.

This time, I make my Frasier with choux pastry, instead making Frasier cake (if you want to make the traditional one follow this recipe). Inside of my Frasier Choux are the same elements, pastry cream, butter cream and yes, strawberries.
I know that some people are afraid when making choux pastry, that the pastry won't puff up or it will collapse after baking, I will tell you the secret of making it.
There are some keys that you need to remember.
First: When place the milk (or water) and butter over the heat, you have to let the mixture become rolling boil before adding the flour.
Second: Mixing the flour quickly and throughly (don't forget to sift the flour before using).
Third: Place the mixture over low heat again, this step will remove some moisture from the batter, don't skip it.
Fourth: Don't add the egg into the piping hot batter, let it cool slightly, or you will cook the egg before time.
Fifth: Check the batter all the time, you will need less or more egg, don't just throw the egg into the batter (it's the most important step).
Sixth: The pastry need to be baked and dry, I always preheat the oven to the hottest setting, then lower it to suit the recipe, as the choux will be puff as soon as it goes into the oven. After that lower the heat until the choux become completely dry.
If you can do all of these steps (it's not hard ^^), your choux pastry will light and not going to collapse for sure.
I love this Frasier Choux, (Ok, I love my own creation, haha), because when using choux the pastry give a light crunchiness (from the cookie) and each bite you will have just enough butter cream, not a lot of it as when you eating the cake one. Serve it with a cup of fruity hot tea is the best afternoon treat!

Frasier Choux

Makes 2 Pastries

Cookie dough
40g ........................ Unsalted butter
45g ........................ Granulated sugar
50g ........................ Cake flour

Choux pastry
100g ....................... Water
45g ......................... Unsalted butter
60g ......................... Cake flour, sifted
................................ Pinch of salt
100g ....................... Eggs (about 2, you will need less or more ^^)

Buttercream
135g ........................ Granulated sugar
35g .......................... Water
85g .......................... Eggs (about 1 1/2)
185g ........................ Unsalted butter
................................. pinch of salt
1tsp ......................... Vanilla extract

Pastry cream
250g ........................ Milk
4 .............................. Egg yolks
40g .......................... Granulated sugar
10g ........................... Corn starch
20g .......................... All purpose flour
20g .......................... Unsalted butter
................................. pinch of salt

600-650g ................. Strawberry

Preheat an oven to 250C.
Line baking sheet with baking paper or silpat.

 Make the cookie dough:
Beat the butter and sugar together.
Add the flour and beat to combine.

 Use your hand to press the dough until smooth.

 Line between a sheet of baking paper, and roll until 3 mm thickness.
Refrigerate until ready to use.

Make the choux pastry:
Put water, butter and salt into a pan.

 Place over medium heat, until boil.

 Pour the flour into the pan, and mix to combine.

 Place over low heat for 3 minutes.

 Remove from the heat and let it cool slightly.
Slowly add the eggs.

Beat until smooth and glossy. 

 When the batter is ready, you can stretch it.

 Pipe into 2- 15cm rounds.
Cut the cookie dough into small rounds and place on top of the pastry.

Lower the heat to 200C.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Lower the heat to 160C
Bake for 20 minutes more.
Let the pastry cool before using.

 Make the butter cream:
Put the water and sugar into a small pan, place over medium heat until 115C.

 While boiling the sugar, beat the egg until foamy and light in color,
Pour the hot syrup into the egg bowl.
Beat until cool.

 Add the butter and beat until combine.

 Add the salt, vanilla and beat until combine.

Make the pastry cream:

Mix the flour, corn starch, sugar, salt and egg yolks in a saucepan.
Boil the milk and pour into the saucepan, whisking all the time.

 Place over low heat, heat until boil and thick (stirring all the time).

Remove from the heat and mix in the butter.

Place the plastic wrap directly on the pastry cream and let it cool before using.

 Cut the choux pastry.

Pipe the pastry cream into the pastry .
Place the strawberries over the pastry cream.

 Pipe the buttercream between the strawberries.

 Pipe the butter cream over the strawberries.

Place the top of the pastry over the butter cream, refrigerate until ready to serve.
Sprinkle the icing over the top of the pastry before serving.

Frasier Choux: Traditional cake in choux pastry form