Ingredients:
For the Puffs:
1 cup water
1/4 cup butter, cut into 4 pieces
2 ounces sweet German chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 large eggs, lightly beaten (at room temperature)
Confectioner’s sugar
Ground Cinnamon
Cappuccino Cream
2 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin
1 cup water, divided
2-1/2 teaspoons instant espresso coffee powder
2 tablespoons coffee liquor
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
Pinch of cream of tartar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
How to make Chocolate Cream Puffs:
- Position rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 450 deg Farenheit. Lightly butter and flour a baking sheet.
- In a medium saucepan, combine water, butter, chocolate and salt. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until butter and chocolate are completely melted.
- Increase heat to high and bring mixture to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in flour to make a smooth
paste. - Return pan to stove and stir cigorously over medium heat for 1-2 minutes unitl paste forms a solid mass that comes away cleanly from sides of pan. Transfer paste to a large bowl.
- With a handheld electric mixer set at low speed, gradually beat in all but 2 teaspoons of the beaten eggs (reserve to brush on cream puffs before baking). Dough should be thick and smooth.
- Drop 10 heaping spoonfuls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet. Lightly brush with reserved beaten eggs.
Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 375 deg. Fahrenheit and continue baking 20 – 25 minutes more, until tops have browned and feel firm to the touch. - With a cake tester or toothpick, pierce each puff a few times. Dry puffs in hot oven with door slightly ajar for 20 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely.
- Remove top third of each puff and fill with Cappuccino cream. Replace top and sprinkle lightly with confectioners’ sugar and cinnamon.
How to make the Cappucino Cream:
- In a small saucepan, soften gelatin for 1 minute in 1/2 cup of water. Cook and stiring constantly over low heat, unitl gelatin is dissolved and mixture is transparent. Remove from heat.
- In a large metal bowl, combine coffee powder with 1/2 cup of boiling water, coffee liqour and vanilla. Add hot gelatin mixture, stirring frequently for 10-15 minutes, just until mixture begins to thicken ( it should have the consistency of raw egg whites). Remove bowl from ice water.
- In a medium bowl, whip cream with wire whisk until soft peaks form. Fold into coffee mixture. In a large bowl, beat egg whites until frothy with a hand held electric mixer set at low speed.
- Add cream of tartar and gradually increase speed to medium-high. Slowly beat in sugar, a teaspoon at a time,
until stiff, shiny peaks form. Fold beaten whites into coffee cream mixture.
