Chocolate Pastry Recipes you Should Try During Quarantine

Since most of us are at home for self-quarantine, we don’t have any choice but to stay at home at all times. But this quarantine gives us killing boredom and end up just scrolling to our phones.

From the start of the quarantine, it may be a chance for others to catch up to their favorite series or unfinished books. You also have watched numerous vlogs on youtube, and yet this quarantine still has not come to an end. There’s also Netflix that comes to save us. But it seems that you already watched everything on it. By doing so, it could have already destroyed your body clock as well.

Social media may also have given as short salvation from boredom by connecting to the world. But at some point, have you ever encountered a cooking show, mukbang ASMR, or making pastries? It is hard not to see these posts these days. And maybe there is also a voice that tells you that you can cook as well.

If you are reading this, this could definitely be the sign that you are searching for. If you have cooked all the main dish recipes in your cookbook, why not try baking? This is the time that you add baking as your new skill and hobby. Since you are new to this, let’s start in easy baking recipes.

If you are ready, we’ll teach you how to make simple chocolate pastries that you can enjoy while you are in quarantine.

Chocolate Strawberry Cream Puffs

Among all other pastries, the cream puff is surely one of the easiest pastries to make. The most basic ingredients of cream puffs are eggs, flour, and butter, which only takes minutes to make. But we don’t want to make it just as plain as it is. We want to add also some twist to this dessert.

Here are the ingredients:

10 strawberries
2 egg yolks
2 cups heavy cream (480 mL)
¼ cup granulated sugar (25 g)
¼ cup cornstarch (30 g)
1 cup water (240 mL)
8 tablespoons butter
1 cup flour (125 g)
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 eggs
1 cup chocolate chips (175 g)

For the procedure, follow these steps:

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
Cut the tops off the strawberries and cut them into pieces. Then set it aside.
In a pot over low heat, combine the egg yolks, heavy cream, sugar, and cornstarch. Turn the heat up to medium-high, whisking constantly to prevent any lumps.
Once the mixture starts to thicken, add in the strawberries. Stir it until it smoothens.
Transfer the cream mixture into a bowl, while covering the top with plastic wrap and pressing the wrap down onto the surface of the cream to prevent a skin from forming. Chill.
In a pot, combine the water and butter, bringing it to a boil. Add the flour and stir until the dough comes together in a ball. Remove from heat.
Add in the vanilla and eggs one a time, stirring until the dough becomes a paste. Transfer the dough into a piping bag with a large round tip.
On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, pipe 1-inch (2½ cm) mounds.
Bake for 20 minutes until the pastry has risen considerably and the insides are dry.
Transfer the chilled pastry cream into a piping bag with a small tip. Poke a hole in the center of the bottom of each cream puff and fill each puff with the pastry cream.
Microwave the chocolate at 30-second intervals until smooth. Mix in coconut oil if using.
Dip the top of each filled cream puff into the chocolate, dripping off any excess.

Note: Don’t open the oven while baking. This will deflate the cream puffs. If you want that puffy-like cream puff, have a little patience and don’t open the oven too widely when checking.

Cookies and cream puffs

Cookies and cream puff is another variant that you should try at home. Just like the first one, it has the same ingredients as well.

For the ingredients, start to shop the following:

25 chocolate sandwich cookies
2 egg yolks
2 cups half & half (480 mL)
¼ cup granulated sugar (50 g)
¼ cup cornstarch (30 g)
1 cup water (240 mL)
8 tablespoons butter
½ cup flour (60 g)
4 eggs

For the procedure, follow these steps:

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
Using a knife, separate the cream from the cookies, and place them in two separate bowls.
Crush cookies in a blender or a food processor until fine. Set aside.
In a pot over low heat, combine egg yolks, half & half, sugar, and cornstarch. Turn the heat up to medium-high, whisking constantly to prevent any lumps.
Once the mixture starts to thicken, add in half of the cookie cream, stirring until smooth.
Transfer the cream mixture into a bowl, covering the top with plastic wrap and pressing the wrap down onto the surface of the cream to prevent a skin from forming. Chill.
In a pot, combine the water and butter, bringing it to a boil. Add the flour and ½ cup (40 grams) of the crushed cookie mixture, stirring until the dough comes together in a ball. Remove from heat.
Add in the eggs one a time, stirring until the dough becomes a paste.
Transfer the dough into a piping bag with a large round tip.
On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, pipe 1-inch mounds.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until the pastry has risen considerably and the insides are dry.
Transfer the chilled pastry cream into a piping bag with a small tip.
Poke a hole in the center of the bottom of each cream puff and fill each puff with the pastry cream.
Microwave the remaining cookie cream for 30 seconds, stirring until smooth.
Dip the top of each filled cream puff into the cookie cream, dripping off any excess.
Sprinkle any remaining cookies crumbs on top of each cream puff.

If you happen to be a Vegan, don’t worry. We got you with this pastry recipe.

Vegan Chocolate Cake

From its name, it seems like it is a no-no to vegans out there. But, you can actually make pastries from vegan-friendly ingredients.

For the base:

3 cups all-purpose flour (375 g)
2 cups sugar (400 g)
½ cup of cocoa powder (60 g)
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ cup of coconut oil (120 g)
½ cup maple syrup (165 g)
1 ½ cups almond milk (360 mL), or milk substitute
2 teaspoons cocoa powder

For the frosting:

1 cup vegan butter (230 g), or vegetable shortening
2 cups powdered sugar (240 g)
1 cup of cocoa powder (120 g)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup almond milk (60 mL), or milk substitute

Here’s the procedure:

Preheat oven to 375˚F (190˚C).
Add flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and also baking powder to a large mixing bowl and whisk to thoroughly incorporate, making sure there are no lumps.
Once, the dry ingredients are thoroughly mixed together, create a small well in the middle, and add in the coconut oil, maple syrup, and almond milk. Continue to whisk until a thick and lumpy batter forms.
Grease the inside of two 9-inch (23 cm) cake tins with coconut oil or nonstick baking spray, and add about 1 teaspoon of cocoa powder to dust the inside of the pan.
Pour half of the batter into each of the cake tins.
Bake them for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Once cakes are finished, transfer them or a cooling rack for 5-10 minutes before removing the finished cakes from their tins.
While the cakes cool prepare the frosting. Add vegan butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract to a mixing bowl and whisk using an electric hand mixer until smooth and glossy frosting forms.
Add almond milk and continue to mix until incorporated.
Choose which of the cakes will be the bottom of your finished cake and carefully level it off.
Place a small amount of the icing in the middle of your serving dish and place the cake on top.
Using about a cup (about 115g) of the icing, generously coat the bottom layer of the cake using a spatula.
Once the icing is spread out evenly, place the second cake on top and continue to frost the cake using the rest of the icing.
Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes before serving.
Slice and serve.

Make use of the quarantine time worth of your time. Don’t waste your time much on streaming and surfing the internet. Be productive until this quarantine ends.