INGREDIENTS

Choux pastry

• ½ cup (125ml) water
• 3½ tablespoons (50g) unsalted butter
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 2/3 cup (100g) whole wheat flour
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten with a fork

Sweet filling (for 12 hearts)

• 3 tablespoons (40g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 5 tablespoons (40g) confectioner’s sugar, plus more for dusting
• 7 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Savoury filling (for 12 cream puffs)

• ½ bunch fresh chives, finely sliced into rounds
• 2 oz diced smoked ham
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 7 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

HOW TO MAKE IT

1. Cover the rack of the ZWILLING Air fryer with parchment paper. Carefully pierce the paper several times with a wooden skewer so that the air can circulate.
2. Make the Choux Pastry: In a small pan, bring the water, butter, and a pinch of salt to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the flour to the hot liquid all at once. Immediately stir everything together with a spoon to form a smooth dough ball, then mash the dough against the bottom of the pan to heat it for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until a fluffy layer forms at the bottom of the pan. This will burn off any floury taste. Transfer the batter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, or to a medium bowl if you are using a hand mixer and leave to cool slightly.
3. Mix the eggs into the choux pastry a little at a time using a hand mixer with a dough hook on the highest setting or using a stand mixer. Pour the finished batter into a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle.
4. Pipe the dough onto the baking paper in the air fryer, either in the shape of a heart (4 x 2-inch wide) or round (6 x 11/2-inch round), leaving about 1 inch between them. Bake the pastry at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden brown. Remove and cool on a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining dough.
5. For the Sweet Filling: Beat the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer. Add in the icing sugar, then the cream cheese with the vanilla extract, beating until smooth and creamy. Fill a large piping bag fitted with a star-shaped nozzle with the cream cheese mixture. Use immediately, or chill until ready to use.
6. For the Savory Filling: In a medium bowl, stir together the chives, ham, mustard, honey, and softened cream cheese until well combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
7. To Fill the Choux Pastry: Cut the pastry in half crosswise, pipe the sweet filling decoratively onto the bottom half, and place the other half on top. Alternatively, you can use a spoon to dollop the filling onto the pastry. Dust the vanilla hearts with icing sugar. For the savory cream puffs, simply dollop filling onto the bottom half with a spoon and top with the other half. Enjoy immediately, or chill until ready to eat.

Tip

The choux pastry is very easy to cut with either a bread knife or kitchen scissors.

Pro Tip

Leftover dry baking ingredients can be stored in the ZWILLING FRESH & SAVE CUBE storage system, protecting them from pests and the elements.