Hiya LINZ fans! Another week down another one beginning! Is it scary to think, that tomorrow we will only have 11 months left of 2016! Wow, the year is already flying past. I hope you all are enjoying this hot weather and living it up at the beach! Very jealous!
I remember as a kid, waking up early in the cold winter mornings and going to the Farmers markets with my mum and that is when I was introduced to this beautiful pastry! I would go to this french bakery stall, and Mum said pick what ever you want! This is what appealed to me. I remember first trying this I thought I was in France! It was absolutely amazing!
The custard in the middle was so silky and smooth. They cost $2 back in the day, but now cost $5, so they have quickly grown in popularity!I loved them so much, I wanted to recreate them. I researched and read books trying to figure out the custard that was used in the middle. I was tempted to ask the staff at the stall but was too scared.
I then discovered 'Creme Patisserie' I was eager to give it a go, hoping that it was the custard used in the cornets at the market! I made them with my best friend Faye and when we had completed the cornets. We both ate one and jumped with joy! We had cracked the secret recipe!
These cornets are made out of homemade puff pastry, garnished with sugar to add texture! Filled with dark chocolate creme patisserie all encased in a dark chocolate shell, that shell's rim is then coated with hazelnut pieces! Ahhhhh I feel like one now <3
So that is the story of how I discovered the cornets! Not something you expect, but most of my baking does have a back story.
I love when you bite into these cornets, you crack through the shell of chocolate and then you hit this creamy smooth mousse texture custard.
I think hazelnuts are the best nut to pair with it because the hazelnut is very bitter on its own, and the chocolate is quite a sweet and sickening if it isn't balanced out! This helps balances out the flavours!
Tutorial Time!!
Puff Pastry:
Creme Pat Recipe:
400ml milk
100ml cream (both full fat)
6 egg yolks
100g caster sugar
50g cornflour
1x vanilla pod
100g chocolate, chopped finely
1x egg wash
Garnishes:
Chopped hazelnuts
100g dark chocolate melted
50g raw sugar
Making Moulds:
-Roll out your homemade puff pastry dough to quite thin.
-Brush the cornets in butter and dust with flour so this makes it easy to pull the cornet off your mold.
-Cut 20cm 1cm strips and wrap around metal cornets.
-Brush with an egg wash and dust with raw or white sugar (but not caster) you want a nice crunch
-Bake in an 180 degree preheated oven for 15-18 mins. Or until nice and golden!
-Pull out and let the cornets rest and cool down before removing from the mold.
Make your creme patisserie:
-Mix your egg yolks, sugar and cornflour until you have a nice thick pale consistency.
-Meanwhile, heat your milk, cream and vanilla pod in a saucepan, until little bubbles appear around the edge of the pan! Scalding this stage is called just before boiling.
-While whisking your egg mixture, slowly in a steady stream pour your hot milk/cream mixture over the yolks and whisk until it is well combind. This is called tempering your egg yolks, so you don't shock them and they curdle.
-Once all the milk/cream mixture is incoporated return the egg mixture back to the heat and slowly cook the yolks over low heat, stirring continually.
-When the mixture begins to thicken up change your rubber spatula to a whisk and whisk until you have a lovely thick consistency!
-Take off the heat and add your chopped chocolate and mix it into the custard until you have a uniform shade.
-Add a knob of butter and add salt if it is unsalted.
-Leave it too cool.
Assembly:
-Lay out all your pastry cornets.
-Fill a piping bag with your cooled pastry and pipe into the cornets to the top.
-Melt some good quality dark chocolate and dip your cornets face down in the chocolate, spin them to one side and quickly lift up to get a clean dip.
-Roll the rim of the cornets in chopped hazelnuts.
-Display all your cornets nicely.
I really hope you guys give this recipe a try, if you want an easy route you can opt to buying pre-made puff pastry. But you wont get that full satisfaction when you bite into the cornet, thinking ohhh I made this!
Till next time lovelies,
LINZ x x
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