Steps

• To prepare the Choux Pastry Swans, start with the choux pastry: place the butter pieces, water, and pinch of salt in a saucepan.

  

• When the water boils, add the sifted flour and stir quickly with a wooden spoon or spatula until a lump-free dough is obtained (the dough should detach from the saucepan).

  

• Then let the dough cool completely and once cooled, add the whole eggs one at a time (add the next only when the previous one is well incorporated). The dough obtained should not be too soft, it should struggle to detach from the spoon.

  

• Preheat the oven to 392°F and line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.

  

• On the first tray, use the piping bag with a small nozzle to form ‘S’ shapes about 0.2 inches thick (swan neck). On the second tray, use the piping bag with a larger nozzle to form cream puffs the size of a walnut (swan body and wings).

  

• Bake in the hot oven for 7-8 minutes (392°F) for the tray with the ‘S’ shapes, checking during baking to ensure they don’t burn. Without turning off the oven, remove the tray and let it cool.

• The cream puffs should be baked for 20 minutes at 392°F. After the time is up, turn off the oven, open it slightly and let the cream puffs dry inside for 15 minutes, then remove the tray and let the cream puffs cool completely.

• Meanwhile, while the choux pastry cools, we will make preparations for the Chantilly cream, and first, we will make the custard cream:

  Beat the egg yolks with the sugar with a whisk or in a stand mixer until a light and fluffy mixture is obtained.

  Then add the flour and mix well, and finally add the milk in a thin stream.

  

• Place everything in a saucepan and cook over low heat until the cream thickens.

  Place it in a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it cool.

  

• The cream should be in the freezer for at least 30 minutes before whipping.

  Add the sugar and vanillin and whip with an electric whisk or stand mixer until it looks nice and firm.

  

• Now prepare the Chantilly cream, in the bowl with the custard cream, gradually add the whipped cream and mix with a spatula from top to bottom

  

• Until a homogeneous mixture is obtained

  

• Choux pastry

  Place the water, butter, salt, and sugar in the bowl, heating: 5 min./212°F/speed 1.

  Add the all-purpose flour and mix: 20 sec./speed 4. Let cool in the bowl for 10 minutes.

  

• With the blades moving at speed 5, add the eggs one at a time through the lid hole. After adding the last egg, mix again: 30 sec./speed 5.

• Transfer 1/4 of the dough into a piping bag with a round smooth nozzle and the remaining dough into a piping bag without a nozzle. Preheat the oven to 392°F and line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.

• On the first tray, use the piping bag with the small nozzle to form ‘S’ shapes about 0.2 inches thick (swan neck). On the second tray, use the piping bag with a larger nozzle to form cream puffs the size of a walnut (swan body and wings).

  

• Bake in the hot oven for 7-8 minutes (392°F) for the tray with the ‘S’ shapes, checking during baking to ensure they don’t burn. Without turning off the oven, remove the tray and let it cool

• Bake in the hot oven for 20 minutes (392°F) for the cream puffs. Turn off the oven, open it slightly and let the cream puffs dry inside for 15 minutes, then remove the tray and let the cream puffs cool completely.

  

• Preparation for the Chantilly cream:

  Custard Cream. Put the milk, egg yolks, sugar, sugar vanilla, and flour in the bowl and cook: 7 min./194°F/speed 4.

  Transfer the cream to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, making it adhere to the surface, and let it cool.

  

• Whip the cream, which should be in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. If possible, also put the bowl in the fridge to cool it well.

• Place the butterfly. Put the cream in the bowl and whip at speed 3 until the desired level of whipping is achieved.

  

• Until a homogeneous mixture is obtained

  

• When all the ingredients are cold, start preparing the swan-shaped cream puffs. Cut a cream puff in half horizontally (with the upper part we will make the wings),

• Put the Chantilly cream in a piping bag with a smooth nozzle and fill.

  

• In a second piping bag, put a ribbed nozzle, and the rest of the cream decorate, then form the wings with the upper part of the cream puff, which you cut, and insert the ‘2’ that forms the swan’s neck.

  

• Finish with pieces of strawberries or other fruit as desired.

  .

  

• or even without fruit.

  The Choux Pastry Swans are ready to be enjoyed