Fastelavnsboller - Choux Pastry
Fastelavnsboller can be very different things. It can be a sweet roll filled with marzipan and a custard, it can be a puff pastry cake, a custard filled Marie bun or as here a puff pastry with different fillings.
Here I have used 3 different fillings.
Pink: Whipped cream mixed with some powdered sugar and fresh raspberries.
Orange: A passionfruit curd mixed with whipped cream.
Blue: custard and whipped cream.
I tend to use less sweet fillings, because I use iced pastry, but feel free to use your own favorites. I think a mocca mousse or chocolate mousse could be good too.
Fastelavn is a similar tradition as the American Halloween if you add some kind of piñata in the form of barrel. Children get dressed up, and go a kinda trick and treating in the early afternoon. You can read more about the Danish fastelavns traditions here.
Makes 12-16.
Ingredients:
Vanilla custard:
3 egg yolks
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2,5 dl milk
1 teaspoon vanilla paste
heavy whipping cream, whipped
Cream puff (choux pastry):
300 ml water
150 g butter, salted
175 g all-purpose flour
1 pinch salt
1 pinch baking powder
4 eggs
Icing:
confectionary sugar (powdered sugar)
water, hot
food coloring
Directions:
Vanilla custard:
Beat the egg yolks and sugar until pale in color. Whisk in the cornstarch and vanilla paste.
Heat the milk to a slow boil, set aside.
While whisking vigorously drizzle the warm milk into the egg yolk mixture, just a tiny bit at a time at first. Once you’ve added about ¼ of the milk, you can add the rest in a thin steady stream, whisking constantly.
Pour the mixture back in the saucepan and reheat it over medium heat. Whisk constantly until it starts to boil and is thickened. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl. Sprinkle with sugar or press some plastic wrap against the custard so it won't form a pudding skin. Chill the custard completely in the refrigerator.
When the custard is cold, whip the heavy whipping cream. Fold the whipped cream in the custard a little at a time till you get the desired taste and texture.
Cream puff (choux pastry):
Preheat the oven to 400℉ (200℃). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Put water and butter in a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium heat. In a bowl sift flour, baking powder and salt. When the butter is all melted add all the flour at once, and stir the mixture with a wooden spoon. Lower the heat and keep stirring until a dough is formed and it pulls away from the sides of the pan and is slightly shiny.
Keep beating the dough with the wooden spoon until slightly cooled, about 2 minutes.
Beat all the eggs in a bowl. Add a little of the beaten eggs, incorporating it thoroughly before adding more. Add the egg in small amounts until you have a thick paste but not runny at all.
Scoop or pipe the 24 dough (golf ball-sized) onto the parchment paper lined baking sheets. If you have small tips on the puffs anyway, dab the tops of each puff with a fingertip dipped in water to smoothen the tops.
Bake the puffs for 18-20 minutes, until they are puffed up and golden brown.
DO NOT open the oven while baking the choux pastry, it will cause them to deflate.
Let the puffs cool on a wire rack. Ice the buns with some colorful icing.
Cut the buns in half and fill it with prepared vanilla custard and some whipped cream. Serve with a nice cup of coffee or tea.
Enjoy!
