St. Joseph Cakes
 
Makes 7 cakes
Ingredients
  • ⅓ cup unsalted butter, cubed
  • ⅓ cup water
  • ⅓ cup whole milk
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature and divided
  • Pastry Cream (recipe follows)
  • 7 Amarena cherries
  • Garnish: confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
  1. In a medium saucepan, combine butter, ⅓ cup water, milk, granulated sugar, and salt; bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Using a wooden spoon, stir in flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until a skin forms on bottom of pan and mixture pulls away from sides of pan and forms a ball, 1 to 2 minutes.
  2. Transfer mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat at medium speed until dough cools slightly, 3 to 4 minutes. Add 3 eggs, one at a time, beating until combined. (Batter will be shiny and will slowly move back together when a spatula is dragged through it.) Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
  3. Position oven racks in center and top of oven. Place a sheet of foil on top rack. Preheat oven to 375°.
  4. On 2 sheets of parchment paper, using a 2½-inch round cutter, draw 4 circles each. Place parchment, ink side down, on 2 rimmed baking sheets.
  5. Transfer batter to a large pastry bag fitted with a ½-inch open star piping tip (Ateco #826). Place tip on a drawn circle, and start by applying even pressure. Hold tip about ¾ inch above parchment paper, and slowly pipe around drawn circles and into center of circle. Begin to lessen pressure on pastry bag as dough comes to center; stop applying pressure, letting it overlap slightly at center. Wet your finger with water, and gently pat down overlap. Repeat with remaining batter.
  6. In a small bowl, whisk remaining 1 egg until well combined. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush egg onto piped dough.
  7. Bake on center rack for 20 minutes. Rotate pan; remove foil from top rack, and place it on cakes. Bake until puffed and golden brown, about 10 minutes more. Let cool completely on pans on wire racks.
  8. Using a serrated knife, cut each cooled cake in half horizontally.
  9. Transfer Pastry Cream to a large pastry bag fitted with a ½-inch open star piping tip (Ateco #826). Pipe tall rosettes around bottom half of each cake. Cover with top half, and gently press down. Pipe a rosette on top of each cake, and place a cherry on top. Garnish with confectioners’ sugar, if desired.
Recipe by Louisiana Cookin' at https://louisianacookin.com/st-joseph-cakes/