Dalvay Breeze Chocolate Crinkle Cream Puffs

 24-28 small puffs

Puffs:
½ cup water
½ cup whole milk
½ cup unsalted butter
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp sugar
1 cup + 2 Tbsp flour
5-6 larger eggs

Dough:
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
Pinch of salt

- Make the dough first. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and the sugar together until smooth. In a separate bowl sift together the flour, cocoa, and salt. Add in the dry ingredients to the butter and mix until dough forms. The dough will be mixed once it starts to come away from the side of the bowl.

- Roll out dough between two sheets of parchment paper. You want the dough to be quite thin, approximately 1/8 inch thick. While dough is still between parchment, place in the fridge to chill for 30 mins. While dough is chilling, make the cream puff shells.

- In a saucepan warm the water, milk, and unsalted butter until it comes to a simmer. Take the pan off the heat and add in all the flour stirring constantly. Keep stirring the dough until it has come completely away from the side of the pan. Give it a few extra stirs and place the dough in the bowl of a stand mixer. Turn the mixer on low and mix the dough with the paddle attachment for 3-5 minutes. You do not want to add the eggs in just yet, as the dough is still too hot. Once the dough has cooled to just warm, add in one egg at a time scraping down after
each egg. Start with adding only 5 eggs. You want the dough to be pipeable, but not too liquid. If the dough is still too stiff, add in the extra egg.

- Preheat oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet(s) with parchment paper.

- You can use a small ice cream scoop to scoop the dough onto the pan, or you can use a piping bag fitted with a round tip. If you use a piping bag, pipe a toonie sized dollop on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Set each dollop 2 inches apart. The cream puffs with double in size as the bake.

- Once cream puffs are all scooped or piped, set aside, and take out the chocolate dough from the fridge. Cut 2” wide circles out of the dough using a cookie cutter, or the end of a large piping tip. Place each circle on the top of each cream puff. Depending on the size you decide to make the cream puffs, make sure the dough is the same size. (This recipe also works without the extra chocolate dough.)

- Bake puffs for 20-30 minutes. The chocolate dough will crack and spread over the cream puff, and they will double in size. To make sure they are done, take one puff out of the oven and tap on the bottom of it. If it makes a hollow sound it is done. If not, give them another 5 minutes. Once done, take puffs off the pan and put them on a cooling rack until cool.

Whipped cream and chocolate filling:
½ cup whipping cream
1 ½ tsp Dalvay Breeze Loose Leaf Tea
¾ cup whipping cream
1 Tbsp icing sugar

3 oz chopped bittersweet chocolate
¼ cup + 2 Tbsp whipping cream

- Heat up the ¼ cup heavy cream in a small saucepan, or in a glass bowl in the microwave till simmering. Pour hot cream over chopped chocolate and stir until smooth. Set in fridge to cool until it is a spreadable consistency. You do not want the chocolate mixture to get too firm. Every 10 minutes give the chocolate mixture a stir and set back in the fridge. While cooling, prepare the cream mixture.

- In a small saucepan bring the whipping cream to a simmer. Add in the loose-leaf tea and take off the heat. Steep for 15 minutes, then strain and set in the fridge to cool completely.

- Once tea steeped cream is chilled, add it to the rest of the whipping cream and icing sugar. Beat until cream is at medium peaks and can be piped or spooned into the cream puffs. Set aside.

- Cut each of the cream puff shells in half with a serrated knife and set aside.

- Once chocolate mixture is the correct consistency, whip in a stand mixer or in a bowl with a hand mixer. Whip chocolate until it lightens in colour. You want it to be a mousse like consistency. Place chocolate mixture into a piping bag and pipe a Tbsp amount on the bottom of each cream puff shell. Spoon or pipe the whipped cream on top of the chocolate. Place the top of the cream puff shell on top of the cream. Serve immediately.

- If you want to make these ahead of time, make the cream puff shells and freeze them until ready to fill and serve. Once filled, the cream puffs should be eaten within 24 hours.