Today is my 50th birthday and no, I am not one of those women who wallow in anguish over that number. It’s a milestone and I’m proud of where I am at 50!
So instead of the traditional birthday cake, I decided I wanted something just a bit more decadent to celebrate this year. Since I have a weakness for caramel, I created this little masterpiece.
The light, crunchy cream puff, filled with the perfect blend of sweet, salted caramel, whipped cream and warm salted caramel sauce on top was absolutely blissful!
Try it. I guarantee you’ll agree!
Ingredients:
For the Salted Caramel Custard:
3 eggs
2 cups milk
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons softened butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch of sea salt
For the Cream Puffs:
1-1/2 cups of water
1 stick of unsalted softened butter
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups of flour
8 large eggs, beaten
For the Bourbon Whipped Cream:
1 cup heavy cream, chilled
1 tablespoon bourbon
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Salted Caramel Sauce:
2 cups sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup water
4 tablespoons unsalted softened butter
1 teaspoon sea salt
Directions:
For the Salted Caramel Custard:
1) Separate two of the eggs, keeping only the yolks and whisk the yolks with the one egg in a small mixing bowl. Add the cornstarch and 1/2 cup of the milk, and whisk until smooth.
2) Pour the remaining 1-1/2 cups of milk into a small saucepan and set it over low heat to remove the chill.
3) Heat a medium sized saucepan over medium heat, and add the granulated sugar and water. Stir until just incorporated and use a wet pastry brush to brush any sugar crystals from the sides of the pan. Allow the mixture to remain undisturbed for about 5 – 10 minutes until it turns a deep amber color.
4) Remove the pan with the caramel from the heat, and carefully whisk in the butter. Then whisk in the warm milk in a slow stream until fully incorporated. Next, whisk in the egg mixture and return the pan to the stove.
5) Bring the custard to a boil then reduce the heat to medium-low. Continue cooking until thickened, stirring constantly. Once the custard has thickened, stir in the vanilla extract and a pinch of sea salt.
6) Strain the custard into a bowl and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming while the mixture cools. Place the bowl into the refrigerator and allow it to cool thoroughly.
For the Cream Puffs:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2) In a large saucepan, bring the water, butter, sugar and salt, to a boil.
3) Reduce heat to medium and add the flour all at once, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pan. Remove pan from heat.
4) Incrementally stir in the eggs until they are incorporated, and the dough is smooth and glossy.
5) Transfer the dough to a piping bag and pipe 1 -2-inch mounds onto the baking sheets, leaving about an inch in between.
6) Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until browned and puffed. Remove pan from oven and let the puffs cool.
For the Bourbon Whipped Cream:
1) Place all ingredients in a small mixing bowl and using a hand mixer, blend the ingredients on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Keep chilled until ready to serve.
For the Salted Caramel Sauce:
1) Heat a medium sized saucepan to medium heat, and add the granulated sugar and water. Stir until just incorporated and use a wet pastry brush to brush any sugar crystals from the sides of the pan. Allow the mixture to remain undisturbed for about 5 – 10 minutes until it turns a deep amber color.
2) Remove the pan from the heat, and carefully whisk in the butter. Then whisk in the cream and the salt until the caramel is smooth. Set the caramel aside to cool.
To serve:
1) Depending on the shape of your cream puff, you can either gently pull the cream puff open or using a serrated knife, gently cut an opening in the top third of the cream puff.
2) Fill the cavity of the cream puff with a tablespoon of the custard and a dollop of the cream.
3) Re-assemble the cream puff and drizzle the caramel sauce on top.
