Who You Callin’ A Cream Puff?

What do you get when a Frenchman passes an Irishman looking for dessert?  I’m sure a pretty funny joke.  Instead, I’ve gone with yet another Car Bomb flavor combination wrapped up in a traditional french package.

irish cream puff

It’s too hard to make cream puffs, you say?  The complete recipe will be at the end, but here are the easy steps for an overview:

Replace the normal part of water with Guinness.  Don’t worry, there is still a half a beer for you to finish off while you’re baking.  Melt the cubed butter and beer on medium heat.

Melt Stuff

Sift together the dry stuff.

Sift Stuff

Once the wet stuff is melted, dump in the dry stuff.  Take the pan off of the heat and stir with a wooden spoon.

Brought Together

Stir for a couple minutes until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides.

Keep Mixing

Put the hot mixture in your mixer bowl and let cool for a few minutes.  Begin to mix on medium speed to release some of the steam.  Add the eggs one at a time and mix until it is fully incorporated.

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Once it’s mixed, it’s ready to pipe.  If you don’t want to deal with the piping bag, just spoon them out in dollops or a Ziploc bag with the corner cut off.  If you want to pipe, make sure to dab down the point or this can really look not very appetizing.  I forgot to take a picture of the next step.

After baking, let the puffs cool so they don’t melt the whipped cream.  Cut them in half and pipe in the cream.  Finish it off with a drizzle of whiskey ganache on top.

Guinness Cream Puffs (Adapted from Joy of Baking):

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour replacing 2 tablespoons of it with unsweetened cocoa
  • 1/2 teaspoon granulated white sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 1/2 cup Guinness
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Choux Pastry:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and place rack in center of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly butter or spray the pan with a non stick vegetable spray.

In a bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, cocoa, sugar and salt.

Place the butter and Guinness in a heavy saucepan over medium high heat and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and, with a wooden spoon, add the flour mixture, all at once, and stir until combined. Return saucepan to the heat and stir constantly until the dough comes away from the sides of the pan and forms a thick smooth ball (about 1-2 minutes). Transfer the dough to your electric mixer, or use a hand mixer, and beat on low speed to release the steam from the dough (about a minute). Once the dough is lukewarm start adding the lightly beaten eggs (dough will separate and then come together) and continue to mix until you have a smooth thick paste.  Spoon or pipe 12 small mounds of dough onto the baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart. With a wet finger or pastry brush tap down the tip from piping.

Bake for 15 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Continue to bake for a further 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven and cut a small hole in side to release steam. When cooled, add whipped cream.

Whipped Cream:

  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tablespoon Bailey’s Irish Creme
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated white sugar, or to taste

In a large mixing bowl place the whipping cream and sugar. Whip the cream just until stiff peaks form and then add the Bailey’s for the last turns.

Ganache:
  • 8 ounces chocolate chips
  • 2/3 cup cream
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon Jameson’s whiskey
Heat cream and pour over chips, butter, and whiskey.  Let stand for a couple minutes before whisking together.  Let cool before drizzling so it doesn’t melt your cream.  Not too long or it will solidify.
See?  That wasn’t so hard.  If you’re tense about it, make sure you pick up a six pack of the Guinness and enjoy a couple extra.  This always helps with baking tension.  Enjoy!

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