Sunday, September 7, 2014

Gluten Free Cream Puffs and Eclairs

I was making some Cream Puffs and Eclairs for a friends' 25th wedding anniversary party yesterday when I got a wild hair and decided to try making a batch of gluten free Choux Paste.  I had no idea if it could even be done so I googled recipes, and found out that, yes it can be done.
So I did it.
And they were good.
Gluten Free Cream Puffs
Really good.
I know cause I taste tested them, a couple of them actually, before the affair.
Then I had my DH taste test them, cause he's the expert on how they should taste, and he said they passed, so I took them with me to the party.
Along with the regular Cream Puffs and Eclairs.
Gluten Free Cream Puffs
I labeled them, cause I didn't want to stand there and point out which were which.


Recipe:
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 cup sweet rice flour
4 eggs, whisked together lightly

Pre heat oven to 425 deg.  Prepare a baking sheet with either silpat or some parchment paper and set aside. 
Heat water and butter til it boils, remove from heat and dump in the rice flour.  Mix together, until it forms a ball, place back on the heat, and stir vigorously for another minute or so.  Remove from heat and dump into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle. 
 Wheeeee!!!!!!

Stir it just for a minute or so, then start adding the eggs a little at a time.  It will separate when you first add the egg, don't panic.  Just keep stirring it.  Add the egg a little at a time until they're all incorporated.    Sometimes you need all the eggs, and sometimes you don't.  Depends on how humid it is outside. 

Gluten Free Cream Puffs

Take a pastry bag and fill with the choux past, didn't realize you were making Choux Paste, did ya?
AKA Vanbakkelser in Danish. 
Gluten Free Cream Puffs
or just use a scoop to place the little puffs onto the baking sheets.
Gluten Free Cream Puffs
   Bake at 425 degrees for at least 20 minutes, check the oven and doneness of the puffs, and add a couple more minutes if they don't sound 'hollow' when you tap them.  Or check them the way I do, I pull one off of the baking sheet, and break it open, if it's done all the way, I shut the oven off, and open the door for a few minutes.  This helps to 'dry' out the inside.  Or you can pierce the side with a knife to let the steam out.  Your choice.  The ones I made yesterday had a rather smooth top,
Gluten Free Cream Puffs
and I think I might have used too much of the egg, but by the time the eclairs were covered with chocolate frosting or sprinkled with confectioners sugar, I don't think anyone cared.  They tasted yummy.
Fill the eclairs with some custard, then frost with chocolate or just pipe in some whipped cream, sprinkle with confectioners sugar and eat'em.  

There was a lot of great food there as well.   Here's a few of the dishes.
 Apple Crumb Pie.
 Mac and Cheese
 Fruit salad
 Pasta Salad
 Coleslaw
 Apple salad (I think)
 Pineapple
 Relish tray
 Pulled pork for sandwiches.  (and it was sitting on an induction cooktop, which has now topped my wish list)
 Scoops
 Overview of the foods.
 Corn cooking for a Low Country Boil
 Baba Ganoush

Another view of the table.











I didn't get a shot of the ribs, the pineapple upside down cake or the cookies some one brought, but everything I tasted was really good.  
Sidsel Munkholm - Author
Sidsel Munkholm - Author

Sid loves to cook, feed people and have fun in the kitchen. She shares her successes and the involuntary offerings she sometimes gives the kitchen goddess as well. And she's still looking for the mythical fairy to help her clean the kitchen after a marathon cooking session. Currently working on a cookbook showcasing the recipes from her Danish heritage.

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