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Gin & Tonic Profiteroles are the dessert we want, need & deserve!
Jul 19, 2017
Another month another GIN-credible bake from the amazing Gin Baker featuring July's gin of the month: Marylebone Gin and Fentimans Pink Grapefruit Tonic! We weren't sure if the perfect dessert existed, until we tried Gin and Pink Grapefruit Tonic Glazed Profiteroles with Pink Peppercorns! If you need us, we'll be in the kitchen whipping up some more...
First off let me apologies, mainly because this recipe involves making choux pastry which can be a bit of a bugger especially in this warmer weather. There isn’t much that can go wrong with the pastry, but it does require a lot of vigorous beating so you need to have a strong arm. There are also quite a few steps to making the gin and citrus cream filling. Fortunately though, the effort you put in pays off completely as these delicately coloured profiteroles are just tiny pastry balls of gin glazed happiness.
Before I completely put you off this recipe, let me reassure you that choux pastry is actually easier to make than you may think. The key is not to add too much egg as this makes the pastry too runny which means the shells will not hold their shape and expand in the oven when baked. Also, the cream filling is more of a custard so the thing to remember here is to keep whisking to ensure you have a smooth, lump free custard.
As I say, the flavour really makes up for the effort you put in with this bake and this is mainly thanks to the addition of the Marylebone Gin. The latest delivery from the Craft Gin Club is something rather special and one that I couldn’t wait to bake with. With its bursting floral scents and sweet citrus and grapefruit lead on the palate, the Marylebone Gin delivers a real depth of flavour to the silky cream filling. Adding it to the glaze also helps balance the sweetness of the icing sugar with the tang from the citrus juices. All these flavours balance perfectly with the peppery finish from the pink peppercorns that deliver a little bit of heat and an unforgettable taste.
Gin & Pink Grapefruit Tonic Glazed Profiteroles
with Pink Peppercorns
Ingredients:
For the Pastry Shells
225ml Cold Water
115g Unsalted Butter, cubed and at room temperature
130g Plain Flour
2-3 large Eggs, beaten
Pinch of salt
1tbsp Caster Sugar
For the Gin and Citrus Cream Filling
150ml Whole Milk
80ml Double Cream
60g Caster Sugar, plus 1 extra tablespoon
3 large Egg Yolks
2tbsp Cornflour
30g Unsalted Butter, cubed and chilled
1/2tsp Red Grapefruit Zest
1/2tsp Orange Zest
1tbsp Fentimans Pink Grapefruit Tonic
3tbsp Marylebone Gin
For the Citrus Glaze
4tsp Red Grapefruit Juice
4tsp Fentimans Pink Grapefruit Tonic
3tsp Marylebone Gin
150g Icing Sugar
Pink Peppercorns, to decorate
Method:
1. To start, make the gin and citrus cream filling by adding the milk, cream and sugar to a heavy-based saucepan and simmering over a medium heat. Stir occasionally until the sugar has dissolved. Do not allow the dairy to burn on the bottom of the pan.
2. While the milk mixture is heating, add the egg yolks to a bowl with the tablespoon of caster sugar and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Add sifted cornflour and whisk thoroughly.
3. When the milk mixture has reached a simmer, remove the pan from the heat and slowly whisk into the yolks, a little at a time. Once all the milk mixture has been added to the yolks, return the mixture to the pan. Set over a medium heat and add the citrus zests.
4. Continue heating and whisking the cream until it begins to thicken and is just starting to bubble. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the cold butter until it has completely melted and mixed in. Stir in the gin and grapefruit tonic water, mixing thoroughly to combine.
5. Press the whole mixture through a fine sieve and then scrape the cream into a bowl. Using cling film, cover the top of the bowl, making sure the wrap is fully in contact with the surface of the cream so that a skin doesn’t form. Refrigerate the cream mixture for about 3 hours.
6. To make the choux pastry shells, preheat the oven to 200C / 180C fan.
7. Place the water, butter and sugar in a saucepan and set over a medium heat, stirring occasionally. When the butter has melted and the water is starting to boil, and the flour and salt in one go. Remove the saucepan from the heat and beat vigorously until the flour absorbs all the water and the dough begins to come away from the sides.
8. Transfer the dough to a bowl and leave to cool for 10-15 minutes.
9. Once the dough has cooled, slowly add the beaten eggs, a little at a time. Mix well with a hand held mixer or whisk ensuring the egg is well combined. Continue adding the beaten eggs slowly and combining until the dough has a glossy sheen and has a pipeable consistency.
10. Prepare a baking tray with parchment paper and mist the surfaces with a little water.
11. Pipe small balls of dough about the diameter of a £2 coin and about an inch high. The dough should hold its shape. With a damp finger, flatten the apex.
12. Place the pastry shells into the centre of the preheated oven and bake for between 25-30 minutes, or until the shells puff up and are golden brown on top.
13. Once baked, remove from the oven and prick the bottom of each shell. Turn off the oven before putting the shells back in upside down for a further 5 minutes. This will help the pastry shells crisp up on the inside. If you are not going to fill your profiteroles straight away.
14. When you are ready to fill your profiteroles, make your citrus glaze by adding all the ingredients to a bowl. Using a whisk, combine the ingredients until you a smooth, glossy glaze and then set aside.
15. Fill a piping bag with the gin and grapefruit tonic cream filling and using a small nozzle, pipe the cream into the pastry shells until the cream is oozing out of the shells.
16. Dip each profiterole into the glaze before arranging on a plate. Continue this until all the pastry shells are filled and glazed. Using a pestle and mortar, crush the pink peppercorns before sprinkling over the glazed profiteroles. Keep in the fridge until you are ready to serve.
These Gin and Grapefruit Tonic Profiteroles are best enjoyed on the day that they are made, but they will keep in the fridge for up to one day. You can make the pastry shells and the cream filling a day in advance, but these pastry should be kept in an airtight container and the cream filling should be covered in cling film. If you find the pastry shells are slightly soggy after being in the fridge, you can place them in a 200C / 180C fan over for a further 5 minutes to crisp up before filling.
Enjoy responsibly!
