A hybrid between choux pastry and a donut, these are fried like a donut and then filled with lemon curd and whipped cream and glazed with a lemony glaze,” explains Paul Hollywood.
“A perfect combination of crispy pastries and tangy citrus flavours.”
chouxnuts
makes: 8
ingredients†
For the choux pastry†
150ml water
60 g butter
60 g flour
60 g strong white bread flour
3 large eggs
To cook†
Sunflower oil, for frying
For the lemon curd filling†
Finely grated zest and juice of 4 lemons
190 g caster sugar
100 g butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces
3 medium eggs
1 extra egg yolk
100 ml whipping cream, whipped cream
For the cherry†
100 g icing sugar, sifted
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
About 25ml of water
Method:
1. First make the lemon curd filling. Place lemon zest and juice, sugar and butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat and stir until butter is completely melted, then remove from heat. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and extra yolk and stir into the lemon mixture. Return the pan to a low heat and stir well for 10-15 minutes until thickened. Pass the lemon curd through a sieve into a clean bowl and allow to cool before stirring in the whipped cream.
2. To make the choux pastry, place the water and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat to melt the butter. Once the butter has melted, turn up the heat and bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Immediately add both flours and beat well to incorporate into the liquid. Continue beating until the mixture forms a ball that separates from the side of the pan. Let cool slightly, for five minutes.
3. Transfer the mixture to an electric mixer fitted with the paddle beater. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the beaten eggs. Once all the egg is incorporated, increase speed to medium and beat until glossy and thick. The mixture should hold about the end of a spoon and feel silky smooth.
4. Cut eight squares of 12 cm baking paper. Place the choux pastry in a piping bag fitted with a 1cm star nozzle and pipe a 10cm diameter ring onto each paper square. (Or you can draw a circle on the paper as a guide and then turn it over.)
5. Heat the oil in a deep fryer or other deep, heavy pan over medium heat to 180C (check with a thermometer). You should fry your profiterole rings, two or three at a time: carefully lower them into the oil, paper side up, then remove the paper with tongs. Deep-fry the rings for three to four minutes. Drain and place on a rack. Cut a small hole in the side of each ring to allow steam to escape and let cool.
6. After cooling, enlarge the hole in the side of each ring to accommodate a small nozzle. Place the lemon curd filling in a piping bag fitted with a five millimeter smooth nozzle and pipe into the puffs to fill until you feel resistance.
7. For the glaze, mix the icing sugar with the lemon zest and enough water to form a glossy glaze with a thick, pourable consistency. Brush over top of each chouxnut to coat and let set before serving. Enjoying!
Victoria sandwich
If you’re new to baking, a Victoria sponge should be your very first cake
(Haarala Hamilton/PA)
“If you’re new to baking, this should be your very first cake. If you do it right, everything else becomes easy,” says Hollywood.
“You can make a Victoria bun using the all-in-one method, mixing everything together in a bowl at the same time, but I recommend whisking the fats and sugar together before adding the eggs, flour and raising agent. because you learn a lot about baking this way.
“Baking is a science. That’s why in this recipe we weigh the eggs first and then adjust the amounts of the other ingredients to get the perfect balance.
“Traditionally, it’s filled with just jam, but if you’re feeling good, feel free to add whipped cream or buttercream.”
makes: 8-10 slices
ingredients†
4 large eggs (in shell)
About 270 g caster sugar
About 270 g self-raising flour
About 135g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing the ramekins
About 135 g soft margarine
To finish†
125 g raspberry jam (good quality)
A little caster sugar, to sprinkle
Method†
1. Preheat your oven to 180C/Fan 160C/Gas 4. Grease two 20 cm bread molds and line the bottoms with baking paper. First weigh the eggs (in the shell) and then weigh the same amount of sugar and flour. For the butter and margarine you need half the weight of the eggs.
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter, margarine and sugar together with an electric whisk until pale in color and light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl and beat again.
3. Beat the eggs together in a pitcher and gradually add them to the mixture, beating well after each addition. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix again. Sift the flour over the surface of the mixture and fold in gently with a large metal spoon.
4. Divide the mixture between the prepared tins. To make sure the cakes are exactly the same size, weigh the cake mixture into each tin. Gently smooth the surface with the back of the spoon to make it level.
5. Bake in the center of the oven for 25 minutes until risen, golden brown and the cakes spring back in the center when lightly touched with a fingertip. They should have shrunk slightly from the edges of the can. Leave the cakes in the molds for five minutes and then remove them to a wire rack. Let cool completely.
6. When cool, sandwich the cakes together with the raspberry jam and sprinkle the top with a little caster sugar.
Ultimate sausage roll
The addition of Stilton gives these sausage rolls a kick
(Haarala Hamilton/PA)
“I recommend using your favorite sausages to make this ultimate sausage roll, which you serve sliced with chutney and pickles,” says Hollywood.
“The addition of Stilton gives it a bit of a kick, but if you like, you can use less Stilton and cook another onion instead — sprinkle the extra caramelized onion directly on top of the dough for extra sweetness before rolling it up.”
Serves: 6
ingredients†
For the coarse puff pastry†
225 g flour, plus extra for dusting
½ tsp fine salt
200 g cold unsalted butter, cubed
Juice of ½ lemon
180-200 ml cold water
For the filling†
1 tbsp oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
400 g sausage meat (or your favorite sausages, skinned)
125 g stilton, crumbled
1 tbsp thyme leaves
A pinch of white pepper
To finish†
2 egg yolks, beaten, to glaze
2 tsp nigella seeds
2 tsp sesame seeds
Method†
1. For the dough, place the flour, salt and butter in a bowl. Mix the lemon juice with the water and add three quarters of the liquid to the bowl. Stir gently until mixture forms a lumpy dough, adding remaining liquid as needed. Don’t knead or work too much – you want lumps of butter through the dough.
2. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and flatten into a rectangle. Roll out with a rolling pin into a narrow rectangle about 1 inch thick. Fold a third of the dough over itself and then the other third down, as if you were folding a business letter. Wrap the dough in cling film and let it cool for at least 20 minutes.
3. Unwrap the dough and repeat, roll the dough at 90°C to the original roll, into a 40cm x 15cm rectangle, then fold as before. Wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Repeat the process two more times, letting the dough cool between folds for at least 20 minutes.
4. Preheat your oven to 200C/Fan 180C/Gas 6 and line a large baking tray with baking paper.
5. For the filling, heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat, add the onion and cook for 7-10 minutes until soft and just golden brown. Let cool.
6. In a bowl, combine the sausage meat with the cooled onion, crumbled Stilton, thyme and white pepper. Roll the filling with floured hands into a 20 cm long sausage and wrap tightly in cling film. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
7. Roll out the dough into a 30cm x 20cm rectangle and trim the edges to make it neat. Place on the baking tray and let cool for 20 minutes. Remove the sausage from the wrapper and place it along the dough rectangle, 6cm from one edge.
8. Brush the uncovered dough with beaten egg yolk, leaving the 6 cm edge free. Fold the egg-washed dough over the sausage filling up to the edge and encase the sausage filling. Press the edges together firmly. Firmly press a floured fork along the length of the sealed rim. (You may have to keep dipping the fork in flour to keep it from sticking.)
9. Brush the sausage roll all over with more egg and score the dough diagonally. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Preheat your oven to 210C/Convection 190C/Gas 6½. Brush the dough again with egg, sprinkle with the nigella and sesame seeds. Bake for 30 minutes or until the dough is golden brown and crispy and the sausage meat is cooked through.
10. Let cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack before slicing. Serve with your favorite pickles and chutney.
‘Bake: My Best Ever Recipes For The Classics’ by Paul Hollywood (published by Bloomsbury Publishing, £26; photography by Haarala Hamilton), out now.
