600 ml Water
5 g Sugar
3 g Salt
280 g Butter
400 g Strong Flour
12 Eggs

1. Bring butter, water, sugar and slat to the boil, making sure all the fat is dissolved.

2. The strong flour is then stirred into the boiling mixture and cooked until it leaves the side of the pan while beating continuously.

3. This cooking process takes approx. 30 seconds to 2 minutes depending upon the size of the mixture. Do not turn down the heat on the stove when adding the flour/cooking the mixture.

4. Remove the mixture to a mixing bowl and add the eggs one at a time until the right consistency is obtained.

5. Do not cool the pre-cooked mixture (water, fat and flour) before adding the eggs.

6. The consistency of the mixture can be of a rather soft texture. The consistency is established by the addition of the eggs to the pre-baked mixture. Therefore the amount stated in a recipe can only be regarded as a relative guideline.

7. When making large choux pastries from a too soft mixture, the mixture will not have enough structure to support the weight and therefore a flat end product is inevitable.

BAKING OF CHOUX PASTE

1. Choux pastry should be baked in a relatively hot oven initially containing steam. Smaller pastries e.g. profiteroles, should be baked at an initial temperature of approx. 220 - 230 °C until fully risen and partially coloured up, then at a lower temperature (approx. 170 - 180 °C), and open dampers until the choux pastries are properly dried out.

2. If removed too early from the oven or without being allowed to dry out, they would collapse. All choux pastry goods removed from the oven should be immediately placed on cooling racks.

3. If properly baked the choux pastry goods can be kept up to a week providing they are stored in a dry place.

4. When baking large choux pastry goods the same principles apply as when baking small choux pastry goods except that the initial oven temperature has to be lower. The same applies when choux pastry goods are sprinkled e.g. with raw flaked almonds to prevent them from burning.

1. Pipe choux paste with a large star nozzle into a pear shape for the bodies.

2. Using a small plain nozzle approximately 2mm in diameter pipe head and neck onto a separate silicon paper covered baking sheet in the form of a "S" then decorate with a beak make of a piece of slivered or flaked almond.

3. Bake at approx. 200 - 210 °C until golden brown and fully dried out.

4. When cold cut off top 1/3 of the body then fill base level with diplomat cream and top with whipped cream piped onto diplomat cream with a star nozzle.

5. Cut top 1/3 of pastry lengthwise in half and place in position as wings. Fasten neck/head in place then dust with icing sugar.

1 lt custard
1.2 lt whipped cream
3 leaves of gelatine
Kirsch or rum (for taste).

1. Pip choux paste with a small plain nozzle into little balls approximately 1.5 cm in diameter onto silicon paper covered baking sheet.

2. Bate at approximately 210 - 230 °C until golden brown and well dried out.

3. When cool punch a little hole in the base and fill with diplomat cream.

200 g Sugar
300 g Unsalted Butter
100 g Eggs
500 g Soft Flour
10 g Baking Powder

1. The butter and sugar are creamed together until smooth.

2. Add eggs/liquid and flour and work into a paste without toughening it.

3. Make sure that, when creaming the fat and sugar, all the fat is properly worked until no lumps are left.

4. Otherwise, when adding the flour, one would have to work the paste for far too long/too much until fat lumps are dispersed.

250 ml water
125 g Flour (Bakers)
2 g Sugar
100 g Butter
4 Eggs

1. Bring the water, sugar and butter to the boil in a saucepan.

2. Remove from heat.

3. Add all the sifted flour and salt and mix in with a wooden spoon

4. Return to a moderate heat and stir continuously until the mixture leaves the side of the pan

5. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

6. Gradually add the beaten eggs a little at a time, mixing well.

NOTE: The egg measurement is approx.

7. The paste should be of dropping consistency.

8. The mixture is piped to the various shapes onto silicone paper.

9. Bake at 220 °C until the mixture rises, reduce heat to 180/200 °C to dry the mixture out.

NOTE: If the goods are removed from the oven to early then the shape will collapse.

375 g Strong Flour
50 g Butter
12 g Salt
175 ml Water
250 g Butter or Puff Paste Margarine

1. Work butter, flour, salt and water into a well-developed dough.

2. Make sure the dough is of the same consistency as the fat which is to be folded in.

3. Rest covered dough for a approx. 15 minutes.

4. Roll the dough to a rectangle approx. 15 cm x 30 cm.

5. Plasticize the butter or margarine and spread over one half of the dough.

6. Fold the empth half of the dough over the portion spread with the butter or margarine and seal the edges.

7. Roll and fold dough as described.

500 g puff pastry
1 egg yolk (glaze)

1. Roll out the pastry 3/4 cm thick and cut into rounds with an 8 cm diameter plain cutter.

2. Place upside down on a damp baking tray. Dip a 6 cm diameter plain cutter into hot oil and cut evenly, halfway through each round of pastry.

3. Egg wash the surface and leave to rest in a cool place for 30 mins.

4. Bake at 215 °C until golden brown (approx. 20 mins).

5. Allow to cool, remove the centres carefully with a knife and reserve for use as the lids for the vols-au-vent.

250 g Flour
200 g Butter
100 g Icing Sugar
Pinch of Salt
2 Egg Yolks
1 Drop Vanilla Essence
1 Drop Lemon Essence (optional)

1. Sift the flour onto the work surface and make a well in the centre. Dice the butter and place it in the well, then work it with the tips of your fingers until very soft.

2. Sift the icing sugar on the butter and salt and work into the butter.

3. Add the egg yolk and mix well.

4. Gradually draw in the flour and mix until a smooth dough develops.

5. Add the vanilla and lemon essence.

NOTE: Do not over work the dough as this will develop the gluten in the flour causing it io become elastic and tough. The dough can be stored, wrapped in cling wrap, in the fridge for several days.

1 envelope yeast or 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup lukewarm water
4 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter very cold, cut into small cubes
3 eggs
1/2 cup whipping cream

1. Dissolve sugar into the warm water and sprinkle the yeast over the water. Let stand for 15 minutes.

2. In a food processor mix together the flour, sugar and salt.

3. Pulse in the cold butter cubes.

4. Do not over incorporate the butter into the flour mixture. There should still be pea sized chunks of butter in the mix; the same as if you were making good pastry.

5. Remove the mixture from the food processor and transfer to a large mixing bowl.

6. Whisk together the eggs and whipping cream.

7. Stir in the yeast mixture and pour over the flour mixture and toss together with a wooden spoon, just enough to make a dough form. It is not necessary to need this dough. Divide in two portions. Each portion makes about 8-10 pastries so if you don't need it all right away, double wrap one portion in plastic wrap and freeze it for later.

8. This dough needs to be rested in the fridge for several hours or overnight.

9. After forming into the desired shapes, the pastries should be left to rise for at least a half hour in a warm kitchen.

10. All danishes should be brushed with an egg wash made from whisking together 1 egg with 2 tbsp water before baking on a parchment lined baking sheet at 191 °C for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Timing depends upon size, larger pastries may take 25 minutes.

360 g Eggs
60 g Sugar
420 g Medium Flour
Pinch of Salt
180 ml Milk
50 g Yeast
90 g Butter

1. Place eggs, sugar, flour and salt into a mixing bowl.

2. Dissolve yeast in lukewarm milk and add to above ingredients, all at once.

3. Beat paste with a paddle until smooth. (Do not develop the gluten).

4. Add melted butter (not to warm) to paste and mix well, then pipe paste into well-greased savarin moulds.

5. Prove and bake at approximately 200 - 210 °C until golden brown and well dried out.

1 Cup Plain Flour
1 Cup Self-Raising Flour
1/2 tsp Salt (optional)
6 tbsp Shortening
80 ml Cold Water

1. Sift flours and salt into a bowl

2. Rub shortening into flour with fingertips until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

3. Mak a well in the centre and gradually add water, stirring with a knife to make a dry dough.

4. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly until smooth.

5. Use as required.