Recipe Detail Page

1. Place the milk in a small saucepan. Split the vanilla bean in half and scrape the black seeds into the milk. Add the scraped bean to the pot along with half of the sugar and whisk to combine. Place the pot over medium heat.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, cornstarch and the remaining sugar. When the milk reaches a boil, pour it over the yolk mixture whisking all the while. Return the pastry cream to the saucepan and cook until thickened. Remove the vanilla bean.

3. Transfer the pastry cream to a clean bowl, cool slightly and incorporate the butter using a hand-held blender. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface and refrigerate until completely cold. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead.)

4. For the choux pastry, place the oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

5. In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, water, butter, sugar and salt. Place over low-medium heat until the butter is fully melted. Raise the heat and bring the mixture to a full boil. Remove from heat and add the flour all at once. Stir immediately with a wooden spoon until the flour is fully incorporated. Place the pan back on medium heat and cook, stirring all the while, for 1 to 2 minutes. The mixture is ready when it congeals in a lump and begins to stick to the bottom of the pot.

6. Remove from heat and transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix the dough on medium speed for about 30 seconds to release the steam. Add the first 4 eggs 1 at a time, mixing until each egg is incorporated. Check the consistency of the dough; stop the mixer and pull up the paddle. The dough is ready if it is smooth and shiny and hangs down in a “V” shape. If the dough is too stiff, add the remaining egg.

7. Transfer half the dough to a pastry bag fitted with a ½-inch (1-cm) round tip. Keep the remaining dough covered. Pipe about 25 mounds of dough about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter, spacing them about 1½ inches (4 cm) apart on prepared baking sheets. Place in the oven and bake until the puffs rise and begin to brown, about 15 to 18 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 325°F (160°C) and continue baking until the puffs are completely dry and golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining dough.

8. Once the puffs are cool enough to handle, cut in half horizontally and place cut-side-up on the baking sheet. Return to the oven for 5 minutes or just until the centres are dry. Cool completely before filling.

9. Spoon about ½ tsp (2 mL) raspberry jam in the bottom of each puff. Pipe a mound of vanilla pastry cream over the jam. Top with 3 raspberries.

10. Whip the cream, sugar and vanilla together to stiff peaks and transfer to a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe the whipped cream on the raspberries and follow with the remaining tops of choux pastry. Refrigerate and dust lightly with icing sugar just before serving. The puffs are best the day they are assembled.