Cocoa Puffs

Directions

1. 1
   Choux Pastry:
2. 2
   Heat oven to 400°F.
3. 3
   Put the water and butter in a saucepan and heat to boiling.
4. 4
   Remove from heat, add the flour and stir until a ball of dough forms and pulls away from the side of the pan.
5. 5
   Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
6. 6
   Scoop onto foil-lined baking sheet. I used a pastry bag with a wide tip to make little balls. Make them small, approximately an inch in diameter or so, you want these to be one or two bites per puff.
7. 7
   Bake at 400 for 15 minutes, then lower the temperature to 325 and bake for 30 minutes, or until dry-looking. When done, they should easily be removed from the foil.
8. 8
   Allow to cool completely. I left them in the (cold) oven overnight.
9. 9
   Chocolate Pastry Cream Filling:
10. 10
    Put sugar, egg yolks, flour and vanilla into a saucepan and mix well.
11. 11
    In a separate saucepan, and milk and butter and heat to scalding.
12. 12
    Very slowly, add the milk mixture to the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly.
13. 13
    Cook on low heat, stirring, until the mixture reaches the boiling point.
14. 14
    Cook 4 minutes longer, stirring constantly.
15. 15
    Add the grated chocolate and cook one minute longer.
16. 16
    Remove from heat, pour into a bowl and let cool, stirring occasionally.
17. 17
    Once cool, press plastic wrap to the surface (to keep a skin from forming) and refrigerate until ready to use.
18. 18
    Note that this filling is not very sweet, you may want to add more sugar to taste.
19. 19
    Chantilly Frosting:
20. 20
    Combine milk, sugar, egg yolks, butter, vanilla and salt in a saucepan. Use a large saucepan as the mixture bubbles and spits during cooking.
21. 21
    Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick, approximately 12 minutes.
22. 22
    Remove from heat, and continue to stir until cool and thick.
23. 23
    Use immediately or refrigerate for later use (it will become quite thick but still spreadable).
24. 24
    Assembly:
25. 25
    Use the tip of a knife to make a small hole in the bottom of each pastry puff.
26. 26
    Using a pastry bag, fill the puffs with the chocolate pastry cream filling.
27. 27
    Frost the tops of the puffs with the chantilly frosting, My frosting was pretty thick, but I could still spread it with a butter knife.
28. 28
    Enjoy! Store leftovers in the refrigerator but they won't last long!