BLUEBERRY AND PISTACHIO PROFITEROLES

Delicious tea time treats from SilvaSale Catering and Events

INGREDIENTS

For the profiteroles:

• 420ml water
• 140g unsalted butter
• 245g sifted cake flour
• 7 medium eggs

For the blueberry, pistachio cream filling:

• 500ml whipping cream
• 200g caster sugar
• punnet fresh blueberries, set aside a few for garnishing
• 120g toasted pistachios, roughly crushed
• 200g white chocolate, melted

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Lightly grease a baking tray with oil.
2. Place the water and butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 3–4 minutes or until the butter melts and the mixture just comes to the boil.
3. Add the flour and beat the mixture with a wooden spoon until well combined. Lower the heat and cook, stirring for 1–2 minutes or until the mixture forms a ball and begins to come away from the sides of the saucepan. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
4. Whisk one of the eggs in a small bowl and set aside. Whisk the remaining eggs in another small bowl and add to the flour mixture, beating well with a wooden spoon. Gradually add a little of the reserved egg and beat until the mixture just falls from the spoon but still holds its shape.
5. Spoon 25–30 teaspoonfuls of the mixture about 3cm apart on the greased tray. Alternatively, use a pastry bag fitted with a 1,5cm-diameter plain piping nozzle to pipe the profiteroles onto the baking tray. Brush the tops with a little of the remaining egg and bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until they’re puffed up and golden.
6. Remove the profiteroles from the oven and turn the oven off. Using a skewer or a small knife, pierce the base of each profiterole to release the steam. Return the profiteroles to the oven and leave them for 15 minutes to dry out. Remove the profiteroles from the oven, transferring them to a wire rack to cool.

To fill and decorate the profiteroles:

1. In a large clean chilled bowl, pour in the cream, whip to a soft peak and gradually add the caster sugar.
2. Continue whisking until it’s thick and firm; set aside.
3. Blend the washed blueberries in a blender and add to the cream followed by the crushed pistachios.
4. Place the cream mixture in a piping bag and set aside in the fridge.
5. Dip the top of each profiterole into the melted white chocolate. Just before the chocolate sets, place some blueberries on top and a sprinkling of pistachio dust. Set aside for the chocolate to set.
6. Pipe the chilled cream mixture into each profiterole through the small hole made when drying them out.

(This recipe makes 24 profiteroles)