I haven't had these since I was a kid & my wife wants them for
tomorrow's desert.

It would make life easier if I could bake them today- cool- and store
in a sealed container. [more time today- and if I screw them up I can
try again]

Will this hurt them? Should I do them tomorrow morning instead?

Plan is to fill them with custard just before serving- and have David
Lebovitz's hot fudge and candied almonds on the table.

Jim

Jim wrote:

> I haven't had these since I was a kid & my wife wants them for
> tomorrow's desert.
>
> It would make life easier if I could bake them today- cool- and store
> in a sealed container. [more time today- and if I screw them up I can
> try again]
>
> Will this hurt them? Should I do them tomorrow morning instead?

If you cut them open to release the steam right after they come out of the
oven, they'll keep okay. They might be a bit better if you "refreshed" them
the next day in a hot (say 375°F) oven for about 4-5 minutes just to crisp
them, then cool before filling.

A sealed container isn't your best bet; you want to prevent moisture from
being trapped with the cooked pastries. A paper bag on the counter would be
fine, at least for the one day you'll be keeping them.

Your fears about screwing them up are probably misplaced; I first made choux
pastry when I was about 14 years old. Filling profiteroles is a lot more
difficult than baking them, at least in my opinion.


Bob

On Sat, 15 Jan 2011 07:31:51 -0500, Jim Elbrecht >
wrote:

>I haven't had these since I was a kid & my wife wants them for
>tomorrow's desert.
>
>It would make life easier if I could bake them today- cool- and store
>in a sealed container. [more time today- and if I screw them up I can
>try again]
>
>Will this hurt them? Should I do them tomorrow morning instead?
>
>Plan is to fill them with custard just before serving- and have David
>Lebovitz's hot fudge and candied almonds on the table.
>
>Jim

Your biggest problem will be making sure they are thoroughly cooled
and completely dry before you put them away. Any moisture at all and
they will get very soft overnight in a sealed container. Otherwise, I
think you're good to go.

They are easy to make and allow a terrific presentation. Your ideas
for them sound great.

Boron

Boron Elgar > wrote:
-snip-
>
>Your biggest problem will be making sure they are thoroughly cooled
>and completely dry before you put them away. Any moisture at all and
>they will get very soft overnight in a sealed container. Otherwise, I
>think you're good to go.
>

Duly noted-- Thank you.

>They are easy to make and allow a terrific presentation. Your ideas
>for them sound great.

I can't take credit for the ideas, really. My wife wanted custard--
and I've been eyeing the recipes in 'The Perfect Scoop' for those
almonds and hot fudge for a while.<g> [Lebovitz filled the
profiteroles with anise ice cream in the book. I have a lot more
recipes to go before I make *that* one]

Jim

On Sat, 15 Jan 2011 12:00:31 -0500, Jim Elbrecht >
wrote:

>Boron Elgar > wrote:
>-snip-
>>
>>Your biggest problem will be making sure they are thoroughly cooled
>>and completely dry before you put them away. Any moisture at all and
>>they will get very soft overnight in a sealed container. Otherwise, I
>>think you're good to go.
>>
>
>Duly noted-- Thank you.
>
>>They are easy to make and allow a terrific presentation. Your ideas
>>for them sound great.
>
>I can't take credit for the ideas, really. My wife wanted custard--
>and I've been eyeing the recipes in 'The Perfect Scoop' for those
>almonds and hot fudge for a while.<g> [Lebovitz filled the
>profiteroles with anise ice cream in the book. I have a lot more
>recipes to go before I make *that* one]
>
>Jim

I have the same book. I am a fan of his.

Speaking of things chocolately, though...the Feb issue of Martha
Stewart "Living" has a recipe for a chocolate baked Alaska. I do not
know when, but I am gonna make that suckah!

Boron

On 01/15/2011 04:31 AM, Jim Elbrecht wrote:
> I haven't had these since I was a kid& my wife wants them for
> tomorrow's desert.
>
> It would make life easier if I could bake them today- cool- and store
> in a sealed container. [more time today- and if I screw them up I can
> try again]
>
> Will this hurt them? Should I do them tomorrow morning instead?

You should bake them shortly before you plan to serve them, I think.
What I would do is make them, spoon them onto your parchment-lined
cookie sheet, then freeze. They bake really well from frozen. (See the
notes on the gougeres recipe in this PDF from Dorie Greenspan's Around
My French Table:
http://www.frenchfridayswithdorie.co...cipePacket.pdf

>
> Plan is to fill them with custard just before serving- and have David
> Lebovitz's hot fudge and candied almonds on the table.

Lovely!

Serene
--
http://www.momfoodproject.com

Serene Vannoy > wrote:

-snip-
>
>You should bake them shortly before you plan to serve them, I think.
>What I would do is make them, spoon them onto your parchment-lined
>cookie sheet, then freeze. They bake really well from frozen. (See the
>notes on the gougeres recipe in this PDF from Dorie Greenspan's Around
>My French Table:
>http://www.frenchfridayswithdorie.co...cipePacket.pdf

Oh my. . . I'll be re-visiting that one next week! Somehow
over the past month or 2 I've bought *way* too many different kinds of
cheese. Cheese on crackers never seems interesting enough. I
see some gougeres in my near future.

Thank you!

Jim

On Sat, 15 Jan 2011 06:09:30 -0800, Serene Vannoy
> wrote:

>.... (See the
>notes on the gougeres recipe in this PDF from Dorie Greenspan's Around
>My French Table:
>http://www.frenchfridayswithdorie.co...cipePacket.pdf

BTW, this is a great book. Gave it to my wife for Xmas, specifically
for the article on gougeres. They're a different style from those
served at Artisanal in New York, but both are wonderful.

-- Larry

Jim Elbrecht wrote:

> I haven't had these since I was a kid& my wife wants them for
> tomorrow's desert.
>
> It would make life easier if I could bake them today- cool- and store
> in a sealed container. [more time today- and if I screw them up I can
> try again]
>
> Will this hurt them? Should I do them tomorrow morning instead?
>
> Plan is to fill them with custard just before serving- and have David
> Lebovitz's hot fudge and candied almonds on the table.
>
> Jim

Profiterols can be made ahead and recrisped in the oven before
they're used. Store them airtight for no more than 1 day.

--
Mort

In article >,
Jim Elbrecht > wrote:

> I haven't had these since I was a kid & my wife wants them for
> tomorrow's desert.
>
> It would make life easier if I could bake them today- cool- and store
> in a sealed container. [more time today- and if I screw them up I can
> try again]
>
> Will this hurt them? Should I do them tomorrow morning instead?
>
> Plan is to fill them with custard just before serving- and have David
> Lebovitz's hot fudge and candied almonds on the table.
>
> Jim

Today should be fine. I think I'd store them with a loose cover,
though, so they don't get soggy. Unless you're somewhere where there's
high humidity. Right now, things snap, crackle, and pop due to static
electricity -- low humidity.

--
Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
Holy Order of the Sacred Sisters of St. Pectina of Jella
"Always in a jam, never in a stew; sometimes in a pickle."
Pepparkakor particulars posted 11-29-2010;
http://web.me.com/barbschaller

In article >,
Jim Elbrecht > wrote:
> Plan is to fill them with custard just before serving- and have David
> Lebovitz's hot fudge and candied almonds on the table.
>
> Jim

What time shall I stop by, Jim?

--
Barb

Just a second thanks to all who had advice on this-- and a follow-up
on results.

I used Lebovitz's recipes from 'The Perfect Scoop' for the pastry, hot
chocolate, and candied almonds.

My wife wanted a cream cheese filling - [instant pudding, cream
cheese and milk]- and I wanted vanilla so I made a vanilla pudding
from a recipe online. It is a keeper in my book-- not too sweet, and
*very* flavorful.
http://www.pickycook.com/dessert/vanillapudding.aspx

The pastry-
was much easier than I expected- and I feel silly for the concern. [a
stand mixer makes life easier- but I don't think it would be required]
They *were* better the first day. I'm in NY with the heat going,
so the humidity is low enough-- but they just weren't as crisp the
second day. [5 minutes in the oven at 350 helped some- but not
perfect] I'll be playing with another batch this week and will
do the 'freeze before baking' that several folks recommended.

2. That hot fudge of Lebovitz's that I made with Valrhona cocoa is
*my* idea of the ideal sauce. [and in another rare aligning of the
opposites- my wife thinks so too. <g>] It balanced the sweet of
the almonds and the sweet of the puddings perfectly. Alone it
leaves a slight pucker on the lips.

3. The Candied Almonds are so good- and *so* easy, I'll always have
some around.
2 T water
2 T sugar
2 cups slivered almonds
Preheat oven to 350. Line sheet pan with parchment.
In a skillet heat water and sugar to a slow boil. Remove from heat
and add almonds, stir to cover them completely.
Spread out on pan. Bake 20 minutes- stirring once to break up
clumps.
Cool- store in airtight container for up to 1 week.
xxxxxxx

Now-- back to that diet.

Jim