Almond Cream Puff with Raspberries Cream

Instead of stuffing with a traditional cream filling, I've improvised these versatile and tender pastry puffs with a little bit sour raspberries cream. Also, by using some almond, it will add on the crunch of the combined tasting as well.

Raspberries are a symbol of decadence–not basic nutrition. Since they’re such a small, low-calorie food, hunter gatherers used to discard these. They weren't even cultivated until the sixteenth century (that’s pretty late in the game for food cultivation).  Even then, they were used for their medicinal qualities.  Like rhubarb, raspberries didn’t really make it famous for baking until the early 19th century, so again, I think we can call these some pretty revolutionary berries.


These cream puffs attempt to capture the essence of the sweet fruit and serve them in a way that is more commensurate with our modern palates: add some cream and sugar and stuff them in a light and buttery pastry.  Need I say more?

Topping some icing on top for decoration

Almond Cream Puff with raspberries Cream

Choux Pastry

1. 1/2 cup flour
2. 2/3 cup water
3. 1 tsp vanilla extract
4. 1/4 cup butter
5. 1/8 tsp salt
6. 2 eggs, beaten
7. Almonds

Cream Filling

1. 2/3 cup heavy cream
2. 1/4 cup raspberries

• Preheat oven to 180C. Sift flour and salt into a bowl.  Place water and butter in a saucepan and heat until melted.  Next, raise heat until the mixture boils and them remove from heat.  Add the flour and beat quickly until you have cohesive mixture (be sure not to overbeat or the mixture will become oily).  Leave the mixture to cool slightly.
• Slowly add the beaten eggs a little bit at a time until the mixture is thick and shiny (you probably won’t need all of the egg).  Place in a pastry bag.
• Dampen two parchment lined baking sheets with cold water. Pipe ping-pong ball sized onto the paper put some almond as toppings and bake immediately until choux is lightly browned (about 15-25 minutes). Set aside to cool.
• Using a sieve, separate raspberry juice from seeds and set aside.
• Whip cream until mixture holds soft peaks.  Add raspberry juice to taste; whip until you’ve got stiff peaks. Spoon into a pastry bag.
• Punch a hole in the choux or cut into half and fill choux with cream using pastry bag. Garnish with raspberry; serve and enjoy!