I have always wanted to make gluten-free cream puffs. Before I was gluten-free I was a cream puff addict. For example, when I was 21 I went to Australia for one month with a friend. Sydney was like europe with little bakeries on every corner and I had cream puffs beckoning to me everywhere I went. There were even big cakes that were essentially just giant cream puffs! Of course, with my coins that felt like play money I kept indulging in the little darlings at every opportunity for what seemed like pennies. It's not like you'll get too full of cream puffs. MMM...light, fluffy and delectable.
Well, I finally made them for the first time. What you've heard is true, they are super easy to make. I ended up making them bigger, thinking, "Bigger is better!". Then on this appointed cream puff day I reached for my coconut milk , since I was going to experiment with making whipped coconut cream for my puffs, and I didn't have enough! So, not to be deterred from my mission, I decided that these large puffs would be well suited for eclair like custard filling, which I did have enough coconut milk to make. Coconut milk based custard was just another experiment I had been wanting to follow through on and this was as good a time as any to try. The results were quite tasty! I took them to a gathering that same day, with only gluten gluttons present, and they received many delicious compliments.
Cream Puff Pastry
recipe adapted from Bette Hagman's The Gluten-free Gourmet p. 82
1 cup water
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 cup Beth's All Purpose baking mix from The Gluten Free Pantry
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
4 eggs
Combine water and coconut oil in large saucepan. Bring to boil. Combine and mix flours, sugar, and salt and add to coconut oil and water. Stir continuously until mixture forms into a ball that detaches from sides of pot. Remove from heat and let cool a bit.
Add the unbeaten eggs, individually,while beating with an electric mixer.
Drop by spoonfuls onto greased baking sheet. Bette's instructions call for the puffs to be approximately 2 inches round and about 1 1/2 inches high. (Mine were larger.) Make sure there is enough space between then to expand and not touch. Bake 20 minutes in preheated 450 degree oven, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 20 minutes more. (My oven is wacky so I had to keep an eye on them and of course it took a little longer since they were bigger.) Remove from oven and insert a knife gently in each one to release steam.
Serve cold filled with sweetened whipped cream or custard. Makes 8 to 10 puffs.
Filling
adapted from p. 83.
1 cup cream (I used full fat pure coconut milk)
3 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. sweet rice flour
1 Tbsp. butter ( or coconut oil)
1 Tbsp. rum
1 Tbsp. vanilla
dash salt
Heat cream until hot, but do not let boil. Turn off heat.
In another saucepan, whip egg yolks and slowly beat in sugar. Continue beating until the mixture is thick and a creamy lemon color. Slowly add flour, then heated coconut milk (or cream).
Put saucepan on medium heat and cook while stirring slowly until it comes to a boil. Beat vigorously so it does not clump. Cook for around 3 min.
Remove from stove. Stir in butter (or coconut oil) and rum. Chill covered until cold. Fill eclairs 4 hours or less before serving so they will not become soggy.
Glaze
created from Kelly's own imagination
2 bars Ghirardelli 60% Cacao
1/2 c. Coconut oil
Dash Vanilla
Heat chocolate with coconut oil until melted in microwave. Stir in vanilla. Should be a glossy, workable consistency. Spread on top of your finished eclairs. Enjoy!
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