Engagement Cream Puff Heart - butter

Method

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease and line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.
• For the pate a choux, bring 1 cup water and butter to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add flour all at once. Cook, stirring, for 1-2 mins, until mixture forms a ball around spoon. Transfer to a large bowl. Spread up sides of bowl to cool slightly. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat until mixture is smooth and glossy - you may not need entire last egg.
• Drop heaped teaspoonfuls onto prepared trays, allowing room for spreading. Bake for 10 mins. Reduce heat to 350°F and bake for another 15-20 mins, until golden brown and firm to the touch. Remove from oven and make a small slit in the side of each puff. Return to oven for 5 mins to dry out. Transfer to a rack to cool.
• For the pastry cream, in a medium saucepan, heat milk with vanilla bean and vanilla bean seeds until almost boiling. Set aside. In a bowl, whisk eggs yolks with sugar and cornstarch until thick. Whisk warm milk into egg mixture then pour into saucepan. Heat gently, stirring constantly, until boiling. Simmer for 1 min. Remove from heat and transfer to a clean bowl. Cover surface directly with plastic wrap and set aside to cool. Once cool, fold in whipped cream.
• For the caramel, in a small saucepan, stir sugar and 1/2 cup water over low heat until sugar dissolves. Simmer, without stirring, for 10 mins, or until golden brown. Set aside for 10 mins.
• Use a piping bag to fill cream puffs with pastry cream. Arrange in a heart shape on a large serving platter. Drizzle caramel over cream puffs with a metal spoon.