FAQs

Questions and answers will be added here. Have a question? Email BEL@bakeeatlovebox.com 

1) What can I use if I don't have a rolling pin? 

Answer: Cylandrical objects work best! Think, wine bottles or heavy-duty plastic or metal water bottles. Even plastic tumblers or a can of soup can get the job done!

2) How can I tell if my choux pastry has released enough moisture before adding it to the mixer?

Answer: As you are stirring you will notice that the pastry will start pulling away from the sides of the pan and come together to form a tighter ball. As you draw your spoon or spatula through the pastry and notice that it starts leaving a streak or film on the bottom of the pan before being incorporated this is a good sign that your pastry has released enough moisture.

3) What size eggs should I use in this recipe?

Answer: We recommend using large eggs in this recipe. If you use extra-large eggs, you run the risk of adding too much moisture into your dough resulting in a flat and soggy cream puff. 

4) Why is it important to add the eggs one at a time?

Answer: The first reason is to ensure that the pastry dough is able to absorb the eggs efficiently without becoming overworked. If eggs are added togther, the dough cannot absorb them quickly enough, leading to a runny or even slimy dough. The second reason is you might not need to add all of the eggs the recipe calls for to your pastry dough. For example, if you didn’t evaporate enough liquid out of the pastry dough in the initial cooking process or if too much water/butter were added in step 8, the liquid to dry ratio would be slightly off. You should check your dough consistency after adding in the second to last egg to determine whether or not you should the last egg. Test steps are mentioned in FAQ #5 below.

5) How do I know if my choux dough is the right consistency before piping? 

Answer: You are looking for your choux pastry to have a nice fluidity and sheen to it. There are two tests that you can perform to see if your pastry dough is just right. 

1. After mixing in the last egg, take your spatula and dip it into the dough and pull up. If the choux pastry dough create a v-shape hanging below the spatula, this is a great sign that your choux pastry is at the right consistency. 
2. Take a clean finger and gently drag it through your pastry dough. If it leaves a trough indentation in the dough and is not quickly flowing into the trough, then your choux dough is good to go! 

6) How do I store whipped cream after adding it to my piping bag?

Answer: First, grab a large cup. Then, with the piping bag tip pointing up, twist the base of the bag shut and fold the remaining empty bag to the side. Place in a large cup, tip pointing up, ensuring the twist rests securely against the bottom of the cup to prevent leaks. Refrigerate until you're ready to use it.

7) What should my whip cream look like when it has reached soft peaks? What about stiff peaks?

Answer:

Whipping your cream to "soft peaks" means that the cream has thickened and holds its shape, but the peaks formed when you lift your beater gently fold over. 

Check out this side by side comparison. We think cream-chargers.uk does a great job showcasing the stiff vs soft peaks here:

When your whipped cream is nearing stiff peaks, you will notice that your whisk attachment (or beaters) are making circular tracks through the whipped cream. Stop your mixer and lift up the attachment. Remove the attachment and hold it up straight in your hand. If the whipped cream holds its shape in a nice peak, it is ready!