Recipe and Photos by Pate Giltner found here at www.thegandmkitchen.com.
“These delectable little cream puffs that are filled with a bourbon and mint pastry cream, and feel like a Southern party in your mouth. They are little dollops of heaven and taste just as refreshing and as slightly sinful as a real Mint Julep, but with the added necessity of me being able to eat tons of these and still being able to work.”
INGREDIENTS
For the pastry cream:
1/3 cup bourbon
1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh mint
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups of milk
4 egg yolks
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup cornstarch
For the choux pastry:
1 cup of water
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
For the whipped cream:
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
INSTRUCTIONS
For the pastry cream:
- First, separate your eggs and put the yolks in a medium bowl and give them a gentle whisk so that they combine. Set them aside to allow them to come to room temperature.
- In a medium saucepan, combine milk, bourbon, mint, vanilla, salt, and cornstarch. Heat mixture on medium heat, while stirring to make sure the cornstarch doesn’t clump, until it comes to a simmer and is bubbling.
- Add about 1/2 cup to your whisked eggs while stirring constantly, once combined add another 1/2 cup of the milk mixture. This is to give your eggs a gentle cook before adding them into the milk mixture.
- Add egg mixture into the saucepan and cook until thick and is 160 degrees. About 2 minutes.
- Transfer the mixture to a standing mixer and beat with the paddle attachment. Add in the butter and beat on medium speed until it cools. About 3 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap by pressing the plastic into the top of the mixture. This is so that the mixture doesn’t create a film on top. Refrigerate for 1 hour. The mixture will keep for 2 days in the fridge.
For the choux pastry:
- Preheat over to 375 and prepare two cooking sheets with wax paper and just a little bit of flour.
- Crack your eggs into a small bowl and allow them to come to room temperature.
- In a medium saucepan heat the water, butter, salt, and sugar until butter is melted and it starts to boil.
- Quickly add in the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until the flour is cooked and the mixture pulls away from the pan and leaves a film. About 3 minutes.
- Add mixture to a standing mixer with the paddle attachment and beat on low speed until it cools slightly. About a minute. Turn the mixer up to medium speed and add in the eggs one at a time, beating until each egg is totally combined into the mixture before adding another.
- Beat until all eggs are combined and soft peaks form.
- Put mixture into a piping bag and pipe mounds that are about 2 inches wide on the prepared baking sheet. The puffs will grow three times their size in the oven so leave enough space between them. Once pipped dip your finger in a little water and smooth down any pointed tops.
- Dip your whole hand in a bit of water and flick water droplets all over the baking sheet. This is so a bit of steam forms in the oven and gives the puffs a little bit of a crust.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until they reach a nice golden color.
For the whipped cream:
- Mix the cream, sugar, and vanilla with a mixer until stiff peaks form.
To assemble the cream puffs cut off the tops of the pastry with a perforated knife fill the hollow center with the bourbon mint pastry cream and then top that with the whipped cream, then place the top back on the pastry and enjoy!
