Cream Puffs

Instructions:

Make the pastry filling:
In a bowl, mix the softened butter and sugar until well combined.
Add the flour and mix until the dough comes together into a single mass.
Roll out the dough to a thickness of 2-3 mm.
Place the dough in the freezer for 15 minutes to firm up.
Once firm, use a cookie cutter or a 5 cm diameter cup to cut out circles. Keep the circles in the freezer until ready to use.
Make the choux pastry:
Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F).
In a stainless steel saucepan, melt the butter completely over medium heat.
Add the milk, water and salt and bring the mixture to the boil. Boil for a further 10 seconds.
Turn off the heat and quickly stir in the flour, stirring until the dough comes together and forms a ball.
Turn the heat back on and cook the batter for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Spread the batter out into the pan to cool for 1 minute.
Gradually add the room temperature eggs in 3-4 batches, mixing well after each addition. The batter should be smooth and form a “V” shape when lifted with a spatula.
Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a 1cm round tip (or without a tip if you don’t have one).
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and use a 5cm cup to mark circles on the paper as a guide for the piping bag. Pipe
the choux pastry into the marked circles, maintaining constant pressure.
Place a circle of frozen butter on top of each pastry bag.
Bake at 190°C (375°F) for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 170°C (338°F) and bake for a further 15 minutes.
After baking, crack the oven door slightly and let the pastries cool for 10 minutes before removing them.
Make the custard filling:
In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until pale yellow.
Add the cornstarch and mix well.
In a saucepan, heat the milk, lemon zest, and vanilla extract (if using) until simmering.
Gradually pour the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly.
Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens and large bubbles begin to burst.
Spread the warm cream on a tray, cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 15 minutes to chill.
In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream and sugar until stiff peaks form. If necessary, use an electric mixer to save effort.
Once the cream has cooled, mix it with the whipped cream to create a thick, smooth filling.