Fairy Puffs

fairypuff200011

Ingredients

Sponge Puffs

100 g Potato starch*

65 g Caster sugar

3 Eggs (700 g/dozen)#

1 tsp Vanilla

1/2 tsp Cream of tartar

1/4 tsp Bicarb of soda

icing sugar for dusting finished puffs

For more information on making sponges & the use of different starches refer to Sponge Basics

# If using home grown eggs pick 3 medium sized eggs. 

 

Strawberry Cloud Cream

150 g Finely chopped strawberries*

110 g Caster sugar

1 Egg white

Thickened cream

* You will need ~200 g of strawberries. Cut off any blemishes & white parts (if any). Other berries can be used - so far I have tried raspberries & blackberries.  

This mix will make ~18 Fairy Puffs

Method

Sponge Puffs

If you keep your eggs in the fridge 1/2 fill the kitchen sink with hot tap water. Put the eggs in the hot tap water for 10 mins. If you keep your eggs at room temperature warm the eggs up by placing them in a dish of warm water (slightly hotter than 37 C).

Turn oven on to 175 C.

Sift together the starch, cream of tartar & bicarb three times into a mixing bowl. 

The yolks & whites will be whisked/beaten separately; you will need two mixing bowls. If you have two bowls for your stand mixer use those. If you have one beat the yolks first in the mixing bowl, transfer it to the bowl containing the sifted starch & then wash the mixing bowl for whisking the whites.

Measure out 40 g of sugar into the mixing bowl for the yolks. Put the remaining sugar into the bowl/container (not plastic) for the whites. 

Separate 2 of the eggs. Put the yolks in with the 40 g of sugar & the whites in with the 25 g of sugar.

Put the last whole egg in with the yolks & sugar.

Beat the egg yolks & sugar for ~9 mins until the ribbon stage has been reached. Below are photos of the yolk mix prior to beating & when it has reached the ribbon stage.  

  

While the yolks are beating stir the egg white & sugar mix to help dissolve the sugar. I usually rest this mixing bowl on top of the hot tap water to help the sugar dissolve.

Line two baking trays with baking paper.

Cut another piece of baking paper the size of the tray. This piece will be used as a template for the puffs. Use a dark marking pen to trace around a circular object, I use a pastry cutter with a diameter of 48 mm. I usually mark out 5 rows of 4 & a single row of 3. Leave sufficient room between the circles as the mixture will expand during cooking. Place this baking paper on one of the trays underneath the baking paper that is there already. 

If using the same mixing bowl to whisk the egg whites as the one used for the yolks, transfer the yolk mix to the mixing bowl containing the sifted starch. Wash & dry the mixing bowl before putting in the egg whites & sugar mix.  

Whisk the egg whites & sugar for 1 1/2 - 2 mins until stiff peaks form. The length of time to whisk the whites will depend on your mixer & the speed you are using. 2 mins at max speed in my KitchenAid can be too long. It is not a disaster if the egg whites are slightly over whipped it just takes a little longer to fold into the yolk mix. 

Fold in the sifted starch mix to the yolk mix. To fold put a spatula/scrapper into the centre of the bowl & push it down through the mix until it reaches the bottom of the bowl. Bring the spatula toward you all the time scrapping the bottom of the bowl. When the spatula is at the edge of the bowl bring it up out of the mix & with a twist of your hand (90 - 180 degree clockwise turn if right handed) turn the spatula over. The mix that was on top of the spatula will now fall back into the middle of the mix. Rotate the bowl clockwise with your left hand while repeating the spatula movement. Ensure the mix has a uniform consistency before proceeding.  

Fold in the whisked whites to the yolk mixture using the technique described above. I usually fold it in without "loosening" the yolk mixture. "Loosening" the yolk mixture should make it easier to fold in the remaining whisked whites. The yolk mix can be "loosened" by adding up to 1/4 of the whisked whites & folding this in. The remainder of the whisked egg whites are then added & folded in.

Transfer the sponge batter to the baking tray by using two dessert spoons. Get a heaped spoonful of the mix & slide the mix off onto the baking paper by using the other spoon. Use the template as a guide. 

When the first tray is full gently slide out the template from under the baking paper with the blobs on it. Transfer the template to the other baking tray putting it underneath the unmarked baking paper.

Repeat making batter blobs.

When both trays are full put them in the oven & bake for ~7 mins.

Bring the trays out of the oven & allow the sponge blobs to cool completely. They will deflate a little.

The filling

Finely chop the strawberries & put them into a microwaveable bowl.

Add in the caster sugar & stir to combine.

Gently warm the strawberry mix in the microwave. Warm the mix until the majority of the sugar has dissolved.

Blitz the mix with a stab blender.

Pour the mix through a sieve into a small saucepan. Extract as much liquid as possible.

Gently boil this mix for ~4 mins, stirring it occasionally to stop it from catching on the bottom of the saucepan.

While this mix is boiling start whisking the egg white (using a stand mixer). 

Turn off the heat under the saucepan & wait for the bubbles to subside.

Pour the strawberry syrup in a thin stream into the whisking egg white. The heat from the syrup will cook the egg white. Scrape the saucepan to get as much of the strawberry syrup out & put it in with the egg white - it will be very sticky. Stop the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl & continue whisking until the mixture has cooled.

When cool the mixture will be very stiff & faintly pink. Essentially this mix is a Strawberry flavoured Italian meringue.

Weigh the amount of Strawberry meringue & pour in an equal amount of thickened cream. Stir to combine. It will have the consistency of whipped cream.

Turn over half of the sponge puffs & spoon or pipe some of the Strawberry Cloud Cream onto them. Top with another puff & dust with icing sugar.

The Fairy puffs are best eaten on the day they are made.