These swans were really fun to put together. It took a little time to get the proportions of swan bodies and the heads right. For a little bit of flexibility, I actually piped various sizes and matched them up after baking. The dough is the same as that used for the eclairs, a stiffer pate a choux compared to the cream puff recipe. It was a little bit too elastic when I was trying to pipe the beaks but overall I managed. A fun take on the cream puff!
Standard bake and measure
Yield 7 complete swans
This recipe turned out great! I was actually shocked that
they came out so well. It's always a pleasant surprise when what I make looks
like the pictures in the book. After reading the recipe thoroughly, I made sure to pipe the
swan bodies, although some were larger than others. The necks were easy to pipe
too, but I only got a few good pointy beaks. I made lots extra, so I could
select the best ones to use. After cooling, I carefully cut off the tops and
made the wings. So cute!
One issue I'm having with this book is the fillings. This
recipe calls for pastry cream, buttercream, and whipped cream, but only small
quantities of each. However, I have to make the whole recipe of each in order
to only use a little bit. Then I end up with leftovers that usually go in the
trash because I don't use them up. It's a lot of work and very wasteful. I
imagine in a bakery, there's always lots of various creams and fillings
available, so it's much easier. So this week I only made whipped cream. since I
had heavy cream on hand.
I filled the swans with whipped cream, placed the wings and
necks, and stood back to admire. They are so cute! I made seven complete swans
from the best parts, just like the Xmas song... seven swans a swimming! These
are a special treat, almost too pretty to eat! I was very pleased with the
results, and with my revisions.
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