LARGE PASTRY BAG RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Fit a large pastry bag with a plain ½" tip.
• Heat milk, butter, granulated sugar, salt, and ½ cup water in a medium saucepan over medium, stirring occasionally to melt butter. As soon as butter is melted, add flour all at once and stir with a wooden spoon, carefully at first to incorporate, then vigorously, until dough forms a single mass. Continue stirring, slapping dough against sides of saucepan with spoon, until dough leaves a thick film on bottom of pan and pulls away from sides, about 3 minutes (the important thing here is to cook the flour and dry out the dough). Transfer to a medium bowl and let rest 3 minutes.
• Using a wooden spoon, mix 5 eggs into dough one at a time, making sure to completely incorporate each egg before adding the next. Dough will look broken at first, then homogenized. The final texture should be smooth, glossy, and somewhat stretchy.
• Spoon dough into prepared pastry bag. Holding bag at an angle so the tip is just touching prepared baking sheet on one side, gently start to squeeze out dough. Without moving the tip (this will help you make a perfect circle), pipe dough until you have a 1½" round (you can trace circles on the back of the parchment for extra accuracy). Repeat, staggering rounds and spacing 2" apart.
• Beat remaining egg in a small bowl until no streaks remain and lightly brush tops of dough. Bake 15 minutes, then lower heat to 350°. Continue to bake until puffs are deep golden brown all over and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom, 15-20 minutes.
• Remove chouquettes from oven; turn off oven. Poke a small hole in the bottom of each puff with a paring knife and place, hole side up, on baking sheet. Return to still-hot oven, propping door open with a wooden spoon. Let dry out and cool, 30–35 minutes.
• Do Ahead: Dough can be made 1 day ahead. Transfer to pastry bag and chill.
• Place milk, butter, and salt in medium saucepan, then scrape in vanilla seeds and pod. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
• Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks and granulated sugar in a medium bowl until very pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add cornstarch, whisking until no powdery dry spots remain. Whisking constantly, gradually add hot milk mixture to egg mixture. Transfer back to saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture is thick and holds whisk marks, about 2 minutes.
• Set a fine mesh sieve over a medium bowl. Press pastry cream through sieve into bowl. Cover with plastic, pressing directly onto surface; chill until cold, at least 2 hours.
• Fit another large pastry bag with a star tip. Transfer chilled pastry cream to bag. Working one at at time, gently pipe pastry cream into puffs to fill. Dust with powdered sugar. Puffs will begin to get soggy as soon as they are filled, so wait until just before serving to add pastry cream.
• Do Ahead: Pastry cream can be made 3 days ahead. Transfer to pastry bag and chill.

Steps:

• Thirty minutes or longer before baking, set an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C.
• Spread the almonds evenly on a baking sheet and bake for about 5 minutes, or until pale gold. Stir once or twice to ensure even toasting and avoid over-browning. Cool completely.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and salt.
• Food processor method: In a food processor, process the almonds and sugar until fairly fine. Cut the butter into several pieces and add it with the motor running. Process until smooth and creamy. Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract and process until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the flour mixture and pulse in just until blended. Stand Mixer Method: Use a nut grater to grate the almonds powder fine and then whisk them into the flour mixture. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater, on medium speed, beat the sugar and butter until fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract and beat for 30 seconds, or until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. On low speed, gradually add the flour mixture and mix until incorporated.
• Scrape the mixture onto a sheet of plastic wrap and use the outside of the plastic wrap to knead together the dough until it is completely even and soft enough to pipe smoothly.
• Scoop the dough into the pastry bag (or spoon some of the dough into the cookie press and cover the remaining dough). Pipe 7 rosettes or 14 stars about 13/4 inches in diameter onto the cookie sheet, no less than 1 inch apart.
• To get the best possible shape for the rosettes, use your fingers to smooth the ends of the rosettes after piping. For the stars, hold the bag in a vertical position (straight up and down) with the toothed edge of the tube just slightly above the cookie sheet. Squeeze the bag firmly without moving it until the shape is as wide as desired, just at the point when the lines in the dough are on the verge of curving. Stop squeezing the tube and push the tube down slightly. Lift the tube straight up and away. Decorate with the glacéed cherries set in the centers, and/or top with sugar sprinkles or dragées.
• Bake for 5 minutes. For even baking, rotate the cookie sheet halfway around. Continue baking for 5 to 7 minutes, or until pale gold.
• Set the cookie sheet on a wire rack and use a pancake turner to lift the cookies onto another wire rack. Cool completely.
• While each batch of cookies is baking, shape the dough for the next batch. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 month, or refrigerated or frozen for 6 months.