Chapter 52
Chapter 52: Super Empress Choux Pastry
The making of regular choux pastry was far from over.
Fu Chengque cautiously added the egg mixture, stirring carefully each time, then using a scraper to pick up a blob and waiting for it to drop.
Waiting and waiting, Lu Min became impatient.
“If it doesn’t drop, it means it’s still too dry. Add more egg mixture.”
“Oh, oh, oh, I think so too!”
She continued to add and mix, then picked it up with a scraper to check. After repeating this six or seven times, a small blob of dough finally dropped under Fu Chengque’s gaze.
“It dropped!”
“Add more!”
“Huh?”
“What ‘huh’? You don’t even have an inverted triangle.”
Fu Chengque grumbled and continued to add.
After repeating the process, this time a perfect inverted triangle finally dropped, about 4 to 5 centimeters long, very standard.
Lu Min also picked it up and nodded. “Okay, grab that cup over there, then get the piping bag, put it on the cup, and pour the batter into it.”
Fu Chengque followed suit.
“Tighten the piping bag, and cut a hole on top. If you want your choux pastry to be big, cut a big hole; otherwise, cut a small one.”
Fu Chengque cut a hole of unknown size, but Lu Min didn’t object.
Lu Min lined the baking tray with parchment paper, demonstrated piping the batter once, then handed it over to Fu Chengque to do it herself. Fu Chengque learned quickly in this regard, and soon squeezed out a dozen or so unevenly sized round blobs onto the baking tray.
Fu Chengque leaned in to observe, “Looks like a lump of dough.”
Lu Min tapped her head, “What are you saying? These are pastries.”
Then she dipped her finger in water and pressed down on the tip of each round blob, with Fu Chengque noting down.
“Alright, into the oven they go.”
Fu Chengque perked up and placed the baking tray into the oven.
“Middle rack, 200 degrees, bake for 20 minutes. Then, depending on the situation, lower the temperature to 180 degrees and continue baking for another 20 minutes.”
“Okay, can I ask, what does ‘depending on the situation’ mean, Teacher?”
“You watch for the color change on the surface. When it turns brown, it’s done, it doesn’t necessarily have to be 20 minutes.”
“Oh, okay.”
As they waited, Lu Min taught some more details.
At 18 minutes, the aroma had filled the entire kitchen. Lu Min looked into the oven and said, “Look at the color inside, that should be about right.”
“Wow! Indeed, it looks like it’s from a bakery.”
After opening the oven door to cool it slightly, Lu Min put on gloves and took out the finished choux pastry. There were a dozen or so, all different sizes, some slightly pale and some slightly burnt, all due to Fu Chengque’s uneven piping. But among them, there were also a few beautiful brown ones, cracked on the surface, emitting a fragrant aroma.
“Success!!”
Fu Chengque shouted, not easy, really not easy.
“Half success.”
“Why only half?” Fu Chengque was dissatisfied.
“Look for yourself, half of the choux pastries aren’t quite right…”
“Um…okay.”
“There’s still the rest. If you want cream puffs, fill them with cream, or chocolate sauce, jam, anything.”
“I see, I’ve learned!!”
Fu Chengque expanded, filled several of the more beautiful ones with cream, happily shared them with Lu Min, and began another round of experiments.
This time, she wanted to do it alone.
***
Fu Chengque’s first independent attempt went fairly well:
Most of the choux pastries were successful, with only a few flaws.
Lu Min summarized the reason: the dough wasn’t handled properly.
The second attempt carefully handled the dough, and this time all of them turned out successful.
Fu Chengque was greatly excited, boasting as she continued for the third time. This time, it was different; she was preparing for the super choux pastries—
They had to be big, bigger than fists.
The result was that neither of the two large choux pastries she squeezed out rose.
Reason: there was a problem with the ingredient ratio, so she adjusted it!
After adjusting, she continued with the same procedure—
Ingredients…
Technique…
Speed…
Fu Chengque was unusually meticulous in every aspect.
As the choux pastry was once again placed into the oven, she felt her legs a bit weak, and her head a bit dizzy.
40 minutes later.
When the oven beeped again, signaling completion, Fu Chengque nervously glanced at the time, 6:30 in the evening.
Peering into the oven, she saw two large, brown choux pastries standing tall, resembling small footballs, with clear natural cracks on their surface and a rich aroma.
Even Lu Min couldn’t help but admire, “Success, big enough, and baked quite well.”
Fu Chengque laughed heartily with her hands on her hips, “Haha, not tired, not difficult, quite fun!”
Lu Min glanced at her and thought: Her back is almost straight, and she’s still bragging.
After cooling slightly, Fu Chengque carefully examined the large choux pastries, as if they were two golden balls, her eyes full of love and pride—
Super Empress choux pastries, succeeded!
The super large choux pastries were finally made, but this was not the end. On the day of the birthday party, they would have to come back and make them again, and on that day, failure was not an option.
But so what? She, Empress Chengque, would definitely not fail!
Pack up, let’s go home!
On Sunday, Wen Yu went to the small building again, after settling everything, she returned and initiated a discussion in the small group.
【Chengque’s Birthday Planning Committee】(4)
【Wen Yu】: Is the venue all set? Have you discussed with your parents?
【Lu Min】: I have no problem.
【Fang Ling】: My parents don’t really care about me…
【Xiao Gua】: I just talked to them last night, and for some reason, they agreed very much. Haha, that’s great.
【Xiao Gua】: I thought I would have to argue with them.
【Xiao Gua】: I’ve figured it out. If they don’t agree, I won’t go home that day, I’ll just go directly.
【Xiao Gua】: Friday?
【Lu Min】: Saturday, December 5th, Saturday night.
【Wen Yu】: It’s on Saturday. I’ll go there early to set up, and then you can bring Chengque over.
【Wen Yu】: @Xiao Gua, it’s probably because your grades have improved this time, and you’ve got praise from the teacher.
【Fang Ling】: Definitely, I heard from classmates at school. Teacher Chen praised several of us.
【Fang Ling】: Xiao Gua, you should ask Wen Yu and Lu Min for advice more in the future, let them help you. When your grades improve, dating is nothing.
【Lu Min】: What nonsense are you talking about? What does it have to do with Wen Yu and Chengque? It’s definitely because Xiao Gua has improved.
【Fang Ling】: Right, I said it wrong.
【Fang Ling】: Sorry, Xiao Gua [pitiful cat]
【Xiao Gua】: Haha, it’s nothing! Anyway, we can have a birthday party without parents!
【Lu Min, Fang Ling】: Yeah!
That night, Fu Chengque also chatted with Wen Yu.
Her expression was more than usual, clearly very happy.
【Fu Chengque】: I told my parents about the party, and they both agreed!
【Fu Chengque】: [happy cat][happy cat]
【Wen Yu】: Everyone else is OK too~
【Fu Chengque】: Wen Yu, thank you.
【Wen Yu】: The birthday hasn’t started yet, what are you thanking me for?
【Fu Chengque】: Did you talk to Teacher Chen and ask him to help say good things in front of the parents?
【Fu Chengque】: [proud cat]
【Wen Yu】:…
【Fu Chengque】: Don’t underestimate me, I’m also very smart.
【Fu Chengque】: In some ways, I’m much smarter than you think. [proud cat]
【Wen Yu】: Queen is awesome.
【Fu Chengque】: Call me Empress.
【Wen Yu】: Empress, Empress.
【Fu Chengque】: ?
After chatting that night, Wen Yu lay on the bed, staring at the deep and distant night sky outside the half-drawn curtains, lost in thought.
Suddenly, a brilliant idea flashed through his mind.
It seemed like an incredible idea had emerged…
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