Name: Vanilla choux rings with a light cream
Prep time: 130 min
Cook time: 130 min
Total time: 130 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 250 ml water; a pinch of salt; 50 g butter or margarine; 200 g all-purpose flour; 4 eggs at room temperature; 500 ml milk; a pinch of salt; 1 packet Zlatý klas; 1 packet vanilla pudding; 100 g granulated sugar; 150 g softened butter; 1 sachet vanilla sugar; powdered sugar; vanilla sugar

Preparation procedure

Choux pastry In a saucepan, heat the water with a pinch of salt and the butter until it just begins to simmer. Add the flour all at once and, over medium heat, stir vigorously with a wooden spoon for 3–5 minutes, until the dough forms a smooth ball, the bottom of the pan is coated with a white film and the mixture no longer sticks. Transfer to a bowl and let cool for 10–15 minutes.
Incorporating the eggs Beat the eggs into the lukewarm choux mixture gradually, one at a time. Beat on low speed or with a whisk until the dough is smooth, glossy and falls slowly from the whisk in a thick ribbon.
Shaping Transfer the dough into a piping bag fitted with a cut (star) tip. Pipe regular rings about 5–6 cm in diameter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving spaces between them.
Baking Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Bake for about 20 minutes without opening the door, then reduce to 170 °C and finish baking for 5–7 minutes until golden. The rings should be light, hollow and firm. While still warm, carefully cut them in half with a serrated knife and let cool.
Vanilla cream Cook a thick pudding from the milk, Zlatý klas, vanilla pudding, sugar and a pinch of salt. Immediately stir in the vanilla sugar, cover the surface with cling film so it touches the pudding and let it cool completely to room temperature. Whip the butter until fluffy and beat the cold pudding into it, a spoonful at a time, until a smooth cream forms.
Filling and finishing Fill the bottom halves of the rings with the cream using a piping bag, replace the tops and dust with a mixture of powdered and vanilla sugar.

Total preparation time 2 hours 10–20 minutes

Number of servings 16–20 rings (depending on size)

Tips for a reliable result

Do not open the oven during the first minutes, the dough will collapse.
If the cream is too thick, loosen it with a spoonful of cream; if it is thin, chill it briefly.
The pudding and butter must be at the same temperature so the cream doesn’t curdle.
For a festive look you can replace part of the sugar with sugar with real vanilla.

Conclusion

Vanilla choux rings are proof that choux pastry isn’t difficult if you follow a few rules. Carefully cook the base, do not open the oven and allow the cream and butter to equalize in temperature. The reward will be light, hollow rings with a delicate vanilla cream that literally melt on the tongue.