Fried mini cupcakes. Recipe by Julie Jones and photos by Peter Cassidy, taken from the “Pastry School” (Guido Tommasi Editore)
THENGREDIENTS X 6/8:
For the choux pastry: 125 ml warm water
125 ml whole milk at room temperature
100 g butter in 1 cm cubes at room temperature,
150 g strong flour for bread
1/2 teaspoon of fine salt
1 teaspoon of powdered sugar
4 eggs.
To fry and finish:
500 ml vegetable oil
150 g superfine sugar
the content of 1 sachet of chamomile
1 teaspoon of toasted anise seeds.
Method
Add the water, milk and butter in a medium saucepan and heat slowly to melt the butter. When the latter is melted, raise the heat and pour in the flour, salt and sugar, then mix to obtain a thick paste.
Keep stirring until the choux comes off from the sides and base of the pot. Lower the heat and stir continuously for 5 minutes. Transfer to the bowl of a planetary mixer with a leaf whisk and work at low speed until the dough is cold.
Add an egg, then, only when it is completely incorporated into the pasta, add the second. Repeat until all the eggs have been well incorporated and you have a thick but shiny paste. Transfer to a pastry bag.
Sprinkle the sugar on a tray and mix in the chamomile and toasted anise seeds. Heat the oil to 180 ° C in a suitable pan. Keep the sac à poche on top and as close as possible to the hot oil.
Gently press the pocket until the choux appears, then dip the tip of a sharp knife into the hot oil and use it to cut the pasta at 1cm intervals. Fry a few balls at a time. Drain them on absorbent paper. While still hot, pass them in the flavored sugar.
“Pastry school” by Julie Jones (Guido Tommasi Editore).
Cover cakes
Pastry school (Guido Tommasi Editore), from which this recipe is taken, is an illustrated book that teaches how to prepare spectacular cakes, even if apparently complicated, and even savory. From tart with panna cotta with chamomile to that with gruyere and onions. Accept the challenge.
The décor idea
Fried puffs? Irresistible. Also try them with a spicy twist (a little saffron in the dough, giving up the recipe aniseed) and serve them on a white porcelain tray.
For more tips on taste and lifestyle, we suggest you Pitti Taste, at the Fortezza da Basso, Florence, from 26 to 28 March. There are more than 450 exhibitors; multiply by a hundred tastings, discoveries and shopping (taste.pittimmagine.com).
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