mocha espresso cream puffs

How To Make mocha espresso cream puffs

• 1

  Make choux pastry: combine butter, water, milk, sugar, and salt in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat stirring as to not scald the milk. Add all the flour and beat by hand to combine and then press it out over the bottom and sides of pot for a minute. Remove from heat. Dump in mixing bowl and allow to cool for about 10-15 minutes. (dont want to cook eggs in next step or you'll get scrambled eggs in your pastry batter and it won't puff up)
• 2

  After it has cooled down some, use a mixer and beat in the eggs, one at a time fully incorporating each one before adding the next. After you add the last egg, as soon as it is mixed in completely turn off mixer. Don't want to over mix.
• 3

  Preheat oven to 400. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush parchment paper with some water to moisten it. Fill a piping bag with a #1 tip or a ziplock bag with the end cut off with pastry batter. Make these as big or as little as you want piping like building up a coiled up snake, about 3/4 inch or so high. Make sure they are all the same size.
• 4

  Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, dont open the door. Turn oven down to 350 and bake 6-10 minutes more, or until nice and brown. Remove from oven and move to cooling rack. Allow to cool completely before opening and filling
• 5

  For pastry cream: In a medium sauce pan heat half and half and milk over medium heat until simmering. While that is heating up, in a large mixing bowl whisk together egg yolks, sugar and salt. Then whisk in flour, espresso powder, and cocoa, and whisk completely for no lumps. Once dairy is hot whisk in 1/2 cup of it into your bowl of egg mixture. Then another 1/2 cup. Now pour it all back in the pot while whisking. Reduce heat to medium-low and whisk constantly for about 5 minutes or until thick an bubbling. Remove from heat. Whisking in flavorings and butter until butter is completely melted and incorporated. Push through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any egg bits. Cover top of cream with plastic wrap making sure the wrap is touching every bit of the cream so a skin doesn't form. Place in fridge and allow to sit for at least 2 hours. (this can be done a day or two in advance)
• 6

  For Chocolate glaze: In a microwave safe bowl add chocolate chips to melted gulf wax. Heat in microwave for 30 second intervals stirring in between until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in corn syrup.
• 7

  Assemble: gently break open in half each puff, keep tops matching to bottoms. Fill piping bag with a large star tip with the pastry cream. Pipe a good amount of filling onto each bottom. Place the top on. Set aside on a cooling rack. Take the glaze and with a small spoon smear a little over the top. Allow to set up for about 10 minutes. Now dust the tops with a light touch of powdered sugar. Enjoy!
• 8

  These really are best enjoyed same day but can be stored in the fridge for up to about a week. It just changes the texture of the choux pastry, but still oh so good!
• Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
• Printable Recipe Card