Monday, July 20, 2020

Our Paris Tea and Swan Cream Puffs

 When Ella and I started our teas this summer, she had said that she wanted to have a Paris tea, because she wants to go there someday, and also she had an Eiffel Tower light up decoration that she wanted to bring.  She also had her outfit planned that she wanted to wear!  We first had our charcuterie board as an appetizer, along with lemon water in my grandmother's stemware. 
 Ella had decided that baguettes should be on the menu, so I made my favorite French Bread, recipe is here,  making some mini ones for us to fill with turkey and cheese.
 Ella also wanted some raspberries with whipped cream to accompany our baguettes on my snack trays. 
 For dessert, I made pate et choux shells ahead of time, and froze them, and then pulled them out to thaw on the day of our tea.  I then made them crispy by putting them in my toaster oven, and then cooled them before filling them.  

 Ella had chosen this Royal Albert Duchess teacup, ahead of time.  Tres elegant, n'est-ce pas?

I chose this Royal Albert Provincial Flowers, Violet teacup, that a friend had given me from her late mother's collection.    

 Ella set the timer on my iPhone (kids know how to do everything!) to take our picture before we started our dessert of the swan cream puffs. Getting dressed up is fun for both of us. Our dessert tea was, of course, Paris tea by Harney and Sons...delicious!  We may never get to Paris, but at least we can drink it!!

We appreciate you visiting our Paris Tea...Merci beaucoup!

Congratulations to Rita, of Panoply who is the winner of Biblical Minimalism !  Thank you to all those who entered!

Yield: 10-12
Author: Kitty
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Cream Puffs (Swans)

Cream Puffs (Swans)

My late beloved hubby loved cream puffs, and I always think of him when I make them. My mom made them when I was growing up, and I think of her, too.

Ingredients:

  • Cream Puff Shells:
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 cup flour
  • 4 eggs
  • Filling:
  • 1 package of instant vanilla pudding
  • 1 and 1/2 cups milk
  • half of an 8-ounce container of frozen whipped topping, thawed

Instructions:

  • For Cream Puff Shells:
  • Heat oven to 400 degrees.
  • Heat water and butter to rolling boil.  Stir in flour.  Stir vigorously over low heat for about 1 minute, or until it forms a ball.  Remove from heat and let stand for a few minutes.
  • Beat in eggs, all at one time, and beat until mixture is smooth and very stiff.  If you prefer, you can do this in an electric mixer.
  • Drop by scant 1/4 cupfuls (an ice cream scoop works well), onto a parchment lined baking sheet, 3"  apart.
  • Bake 35-40 minutes or until puffed and golden.  Cool , and cut a small vent on the side  towards the top, to let out steam.
  • Cut off tops.  Pull out any filaments of soft dough.  Fill puffs with the filling.
  • Filling:
  • Mix pudding and milk together and whisk for 2 minutes.  Fold in the thawed whipped topping.  Fill the cream puffs, and replace the tops.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar, using a small sieve.
  • To make the Swans:
  • Pipe a question mark design, or a #2 onto the baking sheet.  These will brown  in about 15 minutes.  Take these out while the cream puffs finish baking.  Cut the top of the cream puff shell in half, for the wings.  Fill the bottom of the shell with the filling, fan the two halves of the top out to resemble wing, inserting into the pudding.  Put the swan's neck in the front and there you have it...a beautiful cream puff swan!!
Created using The Recipes Generator

I am sharing this with these lovely parties:
Meal Plan Monday

28 comments:

  1. What beautiful pictures Kitty of you and your sweet girl. I just love those pastries too. How cool! The tea cups are beautiful. I love how you both enjoy your parties together. Makes me smile big. Kitty, you look so good lady! You are just beautiful inside and out. I hope your week is wonderful to you. Hugs and blessings, Cindy

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  2. Oh love the swans! Another delightful tea with a most delightful guest. 💕

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  3. How cute everything is here in this post and you both look so lovely. Your Swan Cream Puffs looks divine! I am so glad she was right there along side her Grandmother!

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  4. What a sweet and scrumptious tea Kitty! I love seeing Ella's sweet smiling face, so fun that she loves to dress and help with the menu planning! Such pretty teacups for sipping and your Swan Cream Puffs look beautiful too. Congratulations to Rita ♥

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  5. Your swans turned out fantastic Kitty! I'm glad you're having fun with your teas, they'll be very special memories:@)

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  6. It's wonderful how you both get to bake and spend time together with your teas! The swan cream puffs look so good. Hope you have a nice week Kitty. Stay safe and be well.

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  7. Kitty, your swan cream puffs are amazing! I ♥ cream puffs and have made them before but never swan ones! Love your Paris menu and photographs. C'est mangnifique!

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  8. Aw, your swan cream puffs look darling! I love how the two of you can whip up such an inviting tea time, dresses and all. What fun for the two of you! The picture is very sweet! My youngest son has been to France four times; twice to Paris. He said it is every bit as wonderful as I imagine it is. Have a lovely week, Kitty, and stay safe! Hugs...Sandi

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  9. I love seeing yours and Ella's smiling faces, and that she wants to help with the menu planning. The swan cream puffs are delightful! Congratulations to Rita.

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  10. What a charming tea time! I'm swooning over the gorgeous RA teacups. A friend gifted me the RA Duchess teacup and snack plate for my 30th birthday. Harney and Sons' Paris blend is also a fave with me.

    When my brother went to France last year, he visited some of the wine regions and brought me back LØV organic tea.

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    Replies
    1. I forgot to mention that Paris also has Laduree store which is famous for its macarons and tea! I visited the Laduree tea salon in Toronto last September.

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  11. Oh, my dear friend - you did it again! What a marvelous tea! You sure have that darling girl thinking ahead - she has become a great theme party planner, hasn't she? I had those swans once on a cruise with my husband - I really cannot even believe you can make them. I can't even make cookies to be uniform, haha. You are amazing!!!

    Well done - what a glorious tea party you two shared!!!!

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  12. Those baguette sandwiches remind me of sandwiches I had in Paris. What a fun tea!

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  13. You both look SO pretty! Such a special time you had together! She is such a sweet, little girl and I can only imagine how loved she is. Congratulations to Rita! Lord willing, we will be mailing her book to her tomorrow! God bless you, sweet friend.

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  14. Ooh la la! What a pretty tea with two very beautiful girls! I love Paris, and I love that your granddaughter has dreams of going there. I was probably her age when I first dreamed of it, too. The swan cream puffs are elegant and the perfect finish to such a fine tea time.

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  15. Exquisite Tea Time!You are so elegant!Stunning teacups,made me swoon!Blessings.

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  16. I am wild about cream puffs! And about your teacups. And about your adorable photos! What a lovely time to share with dear Ella. Blessings on you both. XOXO

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  17. How adorable! I absolutely adore Ella's enthusiasm. It is SO evident in her smile, her planning and her choices.
    Thank you, Kitty, for throwing my name in the hat AND pulling it out! I'm looking forward to reading Cheryl's book. Thank you, Cheryl!

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  18. Oh the swans are darling! How nice you and Ella are spending time together dreaming about Paris through your French tea. Lovely tea cups and setting and I love how you both dress up for the special occasion........Hugs.

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  19. Oh goodness Kitty, you gals really went all out! The Paris them is wonderful, and how sweet she brought her Eiffel tower and planned her outfit! A charcuterie board, handmade baguettes and the swan cream puffs, tea from Paris, oh la la!! Fit for royalty! These memories will be with Ella her whole life!
    Jenna

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  20. This is so darling! I need to do this with my granddaughter Ella! The swans cream puffs are just magical. I remember a good friend of mine made some for my bridal shower and they were magnificent! Please come link up to Centerpiece Wednesday on my blog and share this with us https://karinskottage.com/2020/07/centerpiece-wednesday-linky-party-july-22.html Hope to see you over there.
    Karin

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  21. I enjoy seeing your sweet Ms. E. so very much & the creative tea parties you share! Thanks for the recipe ...the swans had to be a huge hit with her (me too!!)

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  22. Kitty, what a darling girl Ella is! How fun for you to have a tea party with her. Your swans are gorgeous. I grew up with cream puffs, too, and this reminds me it's been too long since I last made them.

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  23. My mother used to make swan cream puffs in the 1950s! Thank you for the memories!

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  24. Another wonderful and creative tea luncheon with Ella! I love her choice of the Paris theme and her little Eiffel Tower is adorable. The swan cream puffs look like bakery quality and are so beautiful! I think cream puffs was one of the first things I learned how to bake when I was about 12 years old. I got the recipe out of my mom's Betty Crocker cookbook :)

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  25. Well this is just outstanding! I don't know where to look first . . . the recipes, the tea cups, the whole setting is just divine! What a lucky little girl to have such a creative grandma!

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  26. What lovely photographs of you and Ella, everything looks so wonderful.

    All the best Jan

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  27. Such a sweet tea party. It's so fun to see Ella enjoying spending time with her Nana. Lots of special memories are being made. The swan cream puffs are darling and so creative. A perfect tea for the two of you.

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