Windbag Cake (Choux à la Crème)

Ingredients

• 200 ml milk
• 150 g butter
• 200 g wheat flour
• 0.5 tsp Salt
• 6 Eggs
• 1.5 l milk
• 3 vanilla pods
• 15 egg yolks
• 350 g sugar
• 150 g flour (wheat flour)
• 75 g cornstarch
• 30 g Butter
• 600 g sugar
• fresh fruit (e.g., berries, gooseberries)
• almond cream

Instructions

1. 1.

   Heat 250 ml water with the milk and butter gently in a large pot. Sift the flour and salt into it, lower the heat, stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the dough has absorbed all the liquid and starts to lift from the pot (a white film on the bottom). Remove from heat and let cool. Beat in the eggs one at a time until the dough is smooth and glossy. Preheat the oven to 200 °C (400 °F) fan‑forced.

2. 2.

   Place teaspoon‑sized dough balls on a parchment‑lined baking tray and bake for about 25 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove and prick each ball with a knife so steam can escape and the balls don’t soften. For the cream, bring the milk with the split vanilla pods to a boil in a pot. Whisk the wheat flour and cornstarch into a little cold water, add it to the pot, stir quickly and let it come to a gentle boil. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Beat the egg yolks with sugar until pale and creamy. Fold in the vanilla pudding and keep stirring over low heat, do not boil! Take off the heat and fold in the butter.

3. 3.

   Cover with parchment paper so no skin forms. Let cool and fill the balls using a piping bag with the cake cream. To assemble, dissolve the sugar in 400 ml water over medium heat and simmer until it turns golden brown. Reduce to low heat so the mixture stays liquid. Dip each ball into the glaze one by one and arrange them ring‑by‑ring on a plate, building layers of decreasing size to form a cone shape. Decorate with fresh fruit and almond cream and let dry.