Goats' cheese choux with watercress and pickled walnuts
- Prepare
- 30 mins to 1 hour
- Cook
- 10 to 30 mins
- Serve
- Makes 24
- Dietary
- Vegetarian
These choux buns have all the best flavours – tangy goats' cheese, pickled walnuts and peppery watercress.
Ingredients
For the choux pastry
- 100g/3½oz cold butter, cut into small squares
- 140g/5oz plain flour
- 5 free-range eggs
- salt
For the filling
- 120g/4oz mascarpone
- 200g/7oz soft fresh goats’ cheese
- 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 tsp fresh pink peppercorns, ground
For the watercress and pickled walnuts
- 2 tbsp walnut oil
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 10g/⅓oz watercress
- 1 tbsp toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
- 6 pickled walnuts, thinly sliced
- 20g/¾oz pecorino, grated
Method
To make the choux pastry, heat 250ml/9fl oz water in a large saucepan on a medium heat. Add the butter and a pinch of salt. Once the butter has melted and the mixture has come to a boil, add the flour to the pan and beat with a wooden spoon.
Once the mixture comes away from the sides of the pan, transfer to a large bowl and slowly add the eggs, mixing all the time. You can use a stand mixer with a dough hook or do it by hand. Allow to come to room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
Line a tray with non-stick baking paper and transfer the mixture into a piping bag. Pipe 2cm/¾in rounds on the paper, then cook for around 25–30 minutes, until the pastry is lightly golden and hollow.
Remove and pierce each choux bun to allow steam to escape. Lay on a rack to cool.
To make the filling, beat the cheeses together in a large bowl using a wooden spoon until smooth. Mix in the thyme and the pink peppercorns. Transfer to a piping bag and fill each choux bun from the base.
To make the watercress and pickled walnuts, add the walnut oil, vinegar and mustard to a small bowl and whisk until combined.
Dress the watercress in the walnut oil vinaigrette, then toss with the toasted walnuts and transfer to a plate. Top with the choux buns. Garnish each choux bun with a slice of pickled walnut and finish with a little grated pecorino.
