# What You Need:
→ Choux Pastry
01 - 1/2 cup water (120 ml)
02 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cubed (60 g)
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (75 g)
05 - 2 large eggs
→ Pastry Cream
06 - 1 cup whole milk (250 ml)
07 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar (60 g)
08 - 2 large egg yolks
09 - 3 teaspoons cornstarch (20 g)
10 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
11 - 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter (20 g)
→ Decoration
12 - Powdered sugar for dusting
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a saucepan, combine water, butter, and salt, then bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat and add all the flour at once, stirring vigorously until a dough forms and pulls away from the pan sides. Return to low heat and cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes to dry the dough slightly. Transfer to a bowl and cool for 2 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Pipe twelve 3-inch oval shapes using a large round tip for the swan bodies and twelve 2-inch S-shaped necks with a small round tip. Bake bodies for 25–28 minutes until golden and puffed; bake necks for 12–15 minutes until set and lightly golden. Cool completely.
02 - Heat whole milk in a saucepan until just simmering. In a separate bowl, whisk together sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch until pale. Gradually whisk hot milk into the yolk mixture. Return this mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly for 2–3 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat, then whisk in vanilla extract and butter until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface and refrigerate until cooled.
03 - Slice each choux body horizontally. Cut the top half lengthwise into two pieces to create wings. Pipe or spoon chilled pastry cream onto the bottom half. Insert the swan neck vertically at one end and arrange the two wings on either side. Repeat for all twelve pastries.
04 - Lightly dust the assembled swan pastries with powdered sugar before serving.
