Choux rings with curd cheese cream

The real value of this recipe is the all-purpose choux pastry, which is good for far more than rings. The finished rings take well to berries.

Ingredients

For the choux pastry

• milk — 500 ml
• sugar — 20 g
• salt — 2 pinches
• butter — 225 g
• flour — 275 g
• eggs — 5 (about 280 g)

For the cream

• curd cheese 5–9% — 250 g
• double cream 33% — 200 ml
• icing sugar — 50 g

Method

1. In a saucepan, combine the milk, sugar, salt and butter and heat until the butter has completely melted.
2. Lower the heat to medium and add the sifted flour. Cook the paste for 5 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spatula. A thin film should form on the base of the pan. The texture will resemble mashed potato.
3. Transfer the paste to a deep bowl, let it cool a little and start beating at the lowest speed, adding the eggs one at a time.
4. Transfer the paste to a piping bag with a nozzle and pipe rings onto a lined baking tray.
5. Bake in an oven preheated to 170°C for 20–25 minutes. Start with three rings to work out the right time and temperature for your oven.
6. For the cream, mash the curd cheese with the icing sugar. Separately whip the cream — cold, in a clean bowl. Add the curd cheese a spoonful at a time and beat until smooth, taking care not to over-whip.
7. Transfer the cream to a piping bag.
8. Cut each cooled ring in half, pipe in the cream and put the lid back on. Chill so that the cream sets.