Cream-filled pastries with chocolate glaze and powdered sugar

Recipe Introduction:

Treat yourself to these delightful cream-filled pastries with a rich custard filling, topped with a glossy chocolate glaze and a light dusting of powdered sugar. These pastries are the perfect balance of flaky, buttery puff pastry and indulgent, velvety cream. Whether you’re preparing them for a special occasion or just a sweet treat, these pastries are sure to impress.

Ingredients:

For the Pastry:

1 sheet of puff pastry

1 egg (for egg wash)

For the Cream Filling:

1 cup of whole milk

1/2 cup of granulated sugar

1 tablespoon of cornstarch

2 large egg yolks

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

2 tablespoons of unsalted butter

For the Chocolate Glaze:

1/2 cup of heavy cream

3/4 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

1 tablespoon of butter

For Dusting:

Powdered sugar

Instructions:

Prepare the Pastry:

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and cut into small circles (about 2 inches in diameter).

Place the pastry rounds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and brush them with a beaten egg for a golden, shiny finish.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the pastries puff up and turn golden brown. Remove from the oven and let them cool.

Make the Cream Filling:

In a medium saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat until it’s about to simmer.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and egg yolks until smooth.

Gradually pour the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking to temper the eggs.

Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook, whisking constantly, until it thickens (about 5-7 minutes).

Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and butter. Let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for about 1 hour.

Make the Chocolate Glaze:

In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream over medium heat until it begins to simmer.

Remove from heat, add the chocolate chips and butter, and stir until smooth.

Let the glaze cool slightly before using.

Assemble the Pastries:

Once the puff pastries have cooled, carefully slice them in half horizontally.

Pipe or spoon the chilled cream filling onto the bottom half of each pastry.

Place the top half back on the pastries.

Finish the Pastries:

Spoon the chocolate glaze over the top of each filled pastry, allowing it to drip down the sides.

Dust with powdered sugar for a beautiful finish.

Serve and Enjoy:

Let the pastries set for a few minutes to allow the glaze to firm up, then serve and enjoy your delicious homemade cream-filled pastries!