Chocolate Hazelnut Cream Puffs Recipes

CHOCOLATE CHOUX AU CRAQUELIN WITH CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT WHIPPED CREAM FILLING

Steps:

• Place all ingredients in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium until combined. Turn out the dough onto a large piece of parchment paper, and top with a second piece. Roll out to 1-2mm in thickness.
• Place the dough, still between the parchment sheets, in the freezer for an hour, or until ready to use (Can be made ahead).
• Preheat the oven to 400°f / 200°c. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a cookie cutter, trace 1 1/4" circles on each baking sheet using a pen or a pencil, leaving some room for spreading (about 2" (5cm) between each), then flip over the baking sheet so that the side with the drawing is facing downward.
• Fit a large piping bag with a large round piping tip.
• In a medium pot, combine the milk, water, butter, salt, vanilla bean paste, and sugar. Place over medium heat, and stir until the butter has melted and the mixture has begun to boil. Remove from the heat, and add the flour all at once, mixing quickly with a wooden spoon to combine. The mixture will form a thick paste.
• Return to the heat, and, stirring constantly, cook the mixture for 2 minutes to help dry it out. Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed for 1 minute to help cool down the mixture.
• With the mixture running on low, slowly stream in the 240g egg. Mix on medium speed for 4 minutes, or until the egg is fully incorporated. Test the consistency of the batter by dipping in the beater and pulling up. If it forms a v which eventually breaks off, you are good to go. If it seems too stiff, slowly add another beaten egg and mix to incorporate.
• Transfer the choux pastry to the prepared piping bag. Using your traced circle as a guide, pipe mounds onto the baking sheet, ending each with a little flick of your wrist. If the choux has left a point, you can flatten down with a wet fingertip. Repeat with the second tray. If you need another tray to pipe your choux on, create another template using the parchment and a cookie cutter.
• Remove the craquelin from the freezer, and peel off the top piece of parchment. Using the same sized cutter you used to trace the circles on the parchment paper, cut out circles of dough. Place each carefully on top of a mound of choux, pressing lightly to adhere. If you are baking one tray of these at a time, ensure that you only put the craquelin on one tray worth at a time - put the craquelin on the second tray just before you bake them.
• Bake the cream puffs for 15 min at 400°f / 200°c, then turn down the oven to 350°f / 180°c, and bake for a further 15-20 minutes, until puffs are deeply golden. Remove from the oven and poke a small vent in the side of each using a paring knife or chopstick to help the steam escape.
• Place on a cooling rack to cool completely. If baking in two batches, return the oven to 400°f / 200°c, and repeat the baking process with the remaining buns.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or using a whisk in a large bowl, whip the cream, vanilla and salt to just shy of stiff peaks. Fold in the chocolate hazelnut spread using a spatula, taking care not to deflate too much. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a round or bismarck pastry tip.
• Using a chopstick, carefully poke a hole in the bottom of each cream puff. Working with one at a time, insert the end of the piping tip into the cream puff, and pipe the diplomat cream in until you feel the cream puff fill and become heavy. It will take a few to get the hang of it - just wipe off any excess that may spill out from over filled puffs.
• Lightly dust the cream puffs with powdered sugar.
• Serve within a few hours of filling. Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container.

CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT NAPOLEONS

Steps:

• Make hazelnut crème:
• Melt chocolate with Nutella and keep warm.
• Beat cream with an electric mixer until it just holds soft peaks, then chill.
• Beat egg and yolks in cleaned mixer bowl with cleaned beaters at high speed until thick and pale, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring sugar, water, and corn syrup to a boil in a 1-qt heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until sugar has dissolved. Continue to boil, undisturbed, until candy thermometer registers 238°F (soft-ball stage; you will need to tilt pan to get temperature), about 4 minutes.
• Reduce mixer speed to medium and add hot sugar mixture to eggs in a slow steam (try to avoid beaters and side of bowl), then beat until mixture is pale, thick, tripled in volume, and completely cool, about 5 minutes.
• Fold chocolate mixture into egg mixture. Fold in one third of whipped cream to lighten, then fold in remaining whipped cream gently but thoroughly. Chill at least 4 hours.
• Candy hazelnuts:
• Line a baking pan with foil (shiny side up).
• Heat sugar in a heavy 10-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring with a fork to heat sugar evenly, until it starts to melt, then stop stirring and cook, swirling skillet occasionally so sugar melts evenly, until it is dark amber. Add hazelnuts, stirring until coated. Transfer to foil and cool completely, then coarsely chop.
• Bake pastry:
• Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle. Line a large heavy baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Roll out puff pastry onto a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 17- by 10-inch rectangle (about 1/8 inch thick). Transfer to baking sheet, then cover with a sheet of parchment and top with a heavy baking sheet or sheet pan to weight down. Bake until pale golden, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, stir together corn syrup and water.
• Remove top baking sheet and parchment. Generously brush pastry with corn syrup mixture and cover with parchment, then invert pastry and brush other side with corn syrup mixture. Replace parchment and baking sheet and bake until deep golden and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes more. Cool completely.
• Using a serrated knife, trim edges of pastry, then halve lengthwise and cut each half into 8 equal rectangles for a total of 16 rectangles.
• Assemble dessert:
• Arrange 8 rectangles on a baking sheet and dust with confectioners' sugar to cover. (To mark pastry decoratively, see cooks' note, below.)
• Dab a small amount of hazelnut crème in center of 8 plates, then put an undecorated pastry rectangle on top. Divide remaining hazelnut crème among pastry rectangles. Sprinkle with some of the candied hazelnuts and top with decorated pastry rectangles. Sprinkle with more candied hazelnuts.
• Do Ahead
• Hazelnut crème can be chilled up to 2 days. Candied hazelnuts keep in an airtight container 3 weeks. Pastry can be baked 2 days ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.

CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT CREAM PUFFS

Steps:

• For filling, in a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and 2 tablespoons sugar until smooth. Gradually beat in hazelnut spread and cream until blended. Stir in nuts. Cover and refrigerate.
• In a bowl, combine the flour, cocoa and remaining sugar. In a large saucepan, bring water, butter and salt to a boil. Add flour mixture all at once and stir until a smooth ball forms. Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until mixture is smooth and shiny. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto greased baking sheets.
• Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until set and browned. Remove to wire racks. Immediately split puffs open; remove and discard soft dough from inside. Cool completely. Spoon filling into cream puffs; replace tops. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 2 dozen.

CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT CREAM PUFFS

Steps:

• For filling, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese and 2 tablespoons sugar until smooth. Gradually beat in Nutella and cream until blended. Stir in nuts. Cover and refrigerate., In another bowl, combine the flour, cocoa and remaining sugar. In a large saucepan, bring water, butter and salt to a boil. Add flour mixture all at once and stir until a smooth ball forms. Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until mixture is smooth and shiny. , Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until set and browned. Remove to wire racks. Immediately split puffs open; remove and discard soft dough from inside. Cool completely. , Spoon filling into cream puffs; replace tops. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Refrigerate leftovers.

CHOCOLATE CREAM PUFFS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet lightly with some shortening. Put beaters into the freezer to chill.
• Combine water and shortening in a saucepan and bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Add flour, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt all at once and reduce heat to low. Stir mixture vigorously until it leaves the sides of the pan and forms a ball, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes.
• Beat in eggs, one at a time, with chilled beaters, beating vigorously after each addition until batter is smooth and glossy. Drop dough into 6 mounds on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until puffed and dry, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and pierce the side of each puff with a knife to allow steam to escape. Transfer onto a wire rack to cool completely, abut 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine sugar, cocoa powder and whipping cream in a bowl for the filling. Beat with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until needed.
• Cut cooled puffs in half horizontally. Fill with cocoa whipped cream.
• For the glaze, pour whipping cream into a small pot and heat until hot. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips until melted. Allow to cool slightly. Drizzle chocolate glaze over the cream puffs and refrigerate until serving.

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT MOUSSE CUPS

Steps:

• Bake pastry shells according to package directions. Cool completely., In a small bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla; beat until soft peaks form., In another bowl, beat mascarpone cheese, Nutella and cinnamon until blended. Fold in whipped cream and chocolate chips. Spoon into pastry shells. If desired, drizzle with melted chocolate. Sprinkle with hazelnuts. Refrigerate until serving.

CHOCOLATE CREAM PUFFS WITH HAZELNUT FILLING (PAULA DEEN)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a medium saucepan, combine water, butter, and salt. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Using a wooden spoon, beat in flour, cocoa, and cinnamon, stirring constantly, until mixture forms a ball. Remove pan from heat, and let cool for 5 minutes.
• Beat in eggs, one at a time, at medium speed with an electric mixer until mixture is smooth.
• Spoon or pipe dough into 10 (2-inch) mounds onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 30 to 33 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Set aside to cool.
• Cut cream puffs in half horizontally. Remove soft dough from inside. Spoon Nutella into bottoms of cream puffs; top each evenly with strawberries, and sprinkle with hazelnuts. Cover with tops of cream puffs. Garnish with fresh mint leaves, if desired.
• Note about Cream Puffs (Pate a Choux) - The Pâte à choux dough is baked immediately in a well preheated oven to ensure the greatest expansion and lightness. When baked, the starches in the flour and proteins in the egg coagulate and eventually brown on the outside. During baking, the crust traps steam inside, generated from the moisture in its ingredients and hot air from the oven, plus leavening from the beaten eggs. It is this principle, that causes them to become inflated, hollow and stay puffy. A properly baked choux retains its puffy shape, with a hollow interior with an outside that is crisp and fairly dry, with an all over golden color. When broken apart, it should have a slightly moist crumb on the inside. However, if they are removed from the oven too soon, the structure of the shell has not solidified, and it will collapse. However, when you think they are done take one out of the oven and check it by breaking open and checking the interior walls. If wet and eggy, return to the oven as necessary. Remove when done and cool on a wire rack.