Hazelnut Cream Puffs with Chocolate Cream

I love cream puffs. I love the way they puff up in the oven, I love the way they taste, and I love their versatility. Once you master the basic recipe for these golden puffs there are so many options to try. I have been thinking about adding hazelnuts to cream puff paste for a long time, but I was worried that the nuts would cause the puffs not to rise. Happily this is not the case. The puffs do rise, though a little less than they would sans nuts. They are delicious with the chocolate cream, which is simply chocolate pastry cream with whipped cream folded in. If you have extra cream left after filling the cream puffs, it can be served on its own as chocolate mousse or as filling for chocolate cream pies.

Cream Puffs
Makes about 35 puffs

Ingredients
1 C flour
1 C water
6T unsalted butter
2T sugar
Pinch of salt
4 eggs
1 C hazelnuts, ground fine

Method
 1. Put water, butter, salt and sugar in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil. When the mixture is boiling and the butter is completely melted, add the flour and mix until the mixture comes away from the sides of the pan and forms a ball. Continue to cook the paste until a film forms on the bottom of the pan.
2. Put mixture in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed for a few moments to cool the mixture down. Add the eggs one at a time, beating on medium high until completely incorporated between each addition. Add the hazelnuts and beat until just incorporated.
3. Using a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip, pipe 1 to 1 1/2 inch round balls of dough onto a sheet lined with parchment paper. Leave room between each for puffs to rise. Using wet fingers, smooth out the top of each puff and make sure each is round.
4. Bake the puffs at 400 degrees for approximately 25 minutes until brown and hard to the touch. Cool completely before assembling puffs. At this point puffs can be stored in an airtight container until you are ready to fill them.

Chocolate Cream
Ingredients
3 oz 60% dark chocolate
6T sugar, divided into two equal portions
1T vanilla extract
1C milk
2 eggs
1 ¼ T cornstarch
1C heavy whipping cream
2T unsalted butter

Method
1. Wisk eggs, cornstarch and half the sugar in a large mixing bowl to form a paste.
2. In a medium sauce pan bring the milk and the other half of the sugar to a scald.
3. Slowly add half the hot milk to the egg mixture, whisking the eggs constantly. Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan and milk wisking the mixture in the saucepan continuously. Return the saucepan to the heat over medium heat and bring to a boil stirring constantly. The mixture will thicken considerably. As soon as it boils, remove from heat immediately and put cream in a clean bowl.
4. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or a microwave. Mix the melted chocolate into the pastry cream. Cover the mixture with plastic wrap so that the wrap touches the entire surface of the cream. Refrigerate until completely cool.
5. Whip the cream to stiff peaks. Fold into cooled pastry cream. Use immediately to fill the puffs.

Assembling Puffs

Assembly should be completed close to the time you are going to serve the puffs.

Ingredients

3 oz melted dark chocolate

Chocolate cream

Hazelnut cream puffs

Method

1. Cut each puff in half horizontally. Dip the top of each puff in chocolate. Set aside until chocolate is set.
2. Using a large star tip, pipe a generous amount of chocolate cream onto the bottom of each puff. Place the tops back on. Serve immediately.

Sweet Potato and Kale Gratin

I imagine this dish as going well with roasted chicken or turkey. The kale and the sweet potatoes complement each other well and the kale becomes pleasantly crispy under the broiler.
　
Ingredients
2 medium sweet potatoes
1/8 C brown sugar
7 T butter
¼ t nutmeg
Salt for boiling water
3 C chopped green kale
1 C diced onion
3 oz Emmenthal Swiss cheese, grated
3 oz Gruyere cheese, grated

Method
1. Bring a large stockpot with salted water to a boil. Wash and peel sweet potatoes. Cut into 1 inch cubes. Add to boiling water. Cook until sweet potatoes are tender, about 10-15 minutes.
2. While sweet potatoes are cooking, melt 5T of butter in a sauté pan. Add the onions and sauté over medium heat until softened. Add chopped kale and mix thoroughly. Cook until kale is wilted and softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Drain potatoes. Mash potatoes with brown sugar, nutmeg and 2T of butter.
4. Using a pie plate or shallow baking dish, spread the sweet potato mixture on the bottom of the dish. Spread the kale mixture evenly on top of the sweet potatoes. Sprinkle with cheeses.
5. Place dish under the broiler until cheese is melted and just slightly browned. Serve immediately.