|
For the choux pastry (paste):
150 g/5 oz/1.25 cups plain (all-purpose) flour
A pinch of salt
300 ml/0.5 pt/1.25 cups water
50 g/2 oz/0.25 cup butter
2 eggs, beaten
For the filling and topping:
225 g/8 oz strawberries
25 g/1 oz/2 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar
5 ml/1 tsp lemon juice
150 ml/0.25 pt double (heavy) cream
A little icing (confectioners') sugar,
for dusting |
|
Method:
To make the pastry, sift the flour and
salt on to a sheet of greaseproof (waxed) paper. Heat the water and
butter in a saucepan until the butter melts. Bring to the boil. Remove
from the heat and add the flour all in one go. Beat with a wooden
spoon until the mixture is smooth and leaves the sides of the pan
clean. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Beat in the
eggs a little at a time, beating well after each addition, until
smooth and glossy but still holding its shape. Put 15 ml/1 tbsp of the
mixture, well apart, on greased baking (cookie) sheets. Bake in a
preheated oven at 220°C/425°F/gas mark 7 for 10 minutes. Reduce the
heat to 180°C/ 350°F/gas mark 4 and continue cooking for a further 20
minutes until puffy and a rich golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack
and make a slit in the side of each bun to allow the steam to escape.
To make the filling, reserve a few
strawberries with stalks on for decoration and chop the remainder. Mix
with the caster sugar and lemon juice. Whip the cream until stiff and
fold in the strawberry mixture. Use to fill the choux buns. Pile on a
serving plate, dust with a little sifted icing sugar and decorate with
the reserved strawberries.
|