Cream Puff Pastries

It seems I have made my way through most of the pies and must move on to the pastries in the Pie & Pastry Bible. I’m starting with cream puff pastries. Here’s a swan!

I guess I should also mention – the original deadline I gave myself for finishing the project has officially passed! Yes, I turned 30 over the weekend. As horrifying as it is to move into a new decade of life, I actually feel quite good about it. I think I am a leettle bit better at not giving a crap about stuff and a teensy bit better at trusting that things will work out. And I think I might be learning to enjoy the tranquil pitter-patter of the everyday – right here in Rwanda:)

Adding to the general good mood, I just got back from Rome. Yes, I’m still basking in the afterglow of all that art, fun, and gelato. There is just something grand and uplifting about Rome… Of course, I also stocked up on pie ingredients. And bought all sorts of weird kitchen gadgets I don’t really need and may not actually use, but nonetheless totally want. I’d say the trip was very fruitful!

Yes, Doe has accompanied me to Rwanda. She’s examining a tiny bottle of white truffle oil from Rome (from my first trip). When I saw the tiny spec (think booger-sized) of truffle in the bottle I was skeptical as to what difference it would actually make. But the intense aroma that wafted out as soon as I opened the bottle was something else…

Savory cream puffs: plain savory cream puffs and the white truffle oil variation. Thankfully, the truffle oil wasn’t overpowering and the puffs came out perfectly scented (= just a hint of truffle).

The puffs were appetizers for Easter lunch at Chez Jooey. (Yes, this post is very very late in coming…) Even though I’m not actually religious, I’m no longer an atheist.  I guess I’m a cop-out agnostic who celebrates Easter culturally. (It’s really just an excuse to cook and invite people over!)

Since I was in the cream puff pastry “zone,” I made swans the following week. This requires some assembly: body and head made separately, glued together with whipped cream. My housemate thought the heads were snakes. And when I freaked out, she thought they were tadpoles. Haha!

A gaggle of swans, of the genus cream puff pastry.

They taste exactly like regular cream puff pastry, but somehow they’re much more exciting:)