The Secret to Perfect Cream Puffs Is Lasheeda Perry's Whipped Chocolate Mousse

In this series, we're showing off some of the coolest recipes, tips and tricks we've learned from chefs in the all-new Food Network Kitchen app.

—

If you’ve ooh-ed and ahh-ed over favorite French desserts like macarons or eclairs, wishing you had the skills and patience to whip up the delightful, delicate treats yourself, fret no more! While pastry-expert Lasheeda Perry admits the concoctions can be rather challenging to perfect, making them alongside a professional baker can make the process that much easier. In her Cream Puffs with Raspberry Craquelin and Whipped Chocolate Mousse class on the Food Network Kitchen app, Lasheeda breaks down an over-the-top cream puff with raspberry craquelin and whipped chocolate mousse into doable steps, even for beginners. And, because the recipe is a process, she suggests making some of the elements a couple of days ahead making this the perfect weekend baking project.

One of the most important aspects of the cream puff is getting the fluffy filling just right. Her secret to the perfect mousse is quickly and carefully folding cold whipped cream into the warm chocolate mixture to regulate the temperature, faster. Lasheeda’s advice for first-time mousse makers: "Don’t think about it, just do it.”

Get your arm workout in for the day while mixing the roux for the pate a choux! Pate a choux, a French term for the light dough used to make airy pastries, is very versatile and can be used to make many other desserts like eclaires or beignets. Once you know how to whip some up, you’ll be practically unstoppable! Lasheeda warns that it’s natural for it to look broken in the beginning, but if you stick with it, it’ll transform into the perfect mixture. Piping bags are a baker’s best friend for pastries, and will make the transition to baking and filling the puffs flawless.

Speaking of piping bags, when you get to final assembly stages of this dessert, you'll want to whip the chocolate mousse after it chills and before you put it into a piping bag to make it extra light and airy. And considering how light the dough is for the cream puffs, this makes total sense in our book!

To learn how to make these pro-level pastries and more fun desserts, head to the Food Network Kitchen app. You can check out lots of other classes from Lasheeda and more of your favorite chefs when you download the app and sign up today.

Related Content:

This Is How My Dad and I Finally Agreed on What Makes Pie, Pie

2 Weird Ingredients That Will Give You the Most Tender Cake Ever

One Cake, Four Desserts: Who Says Baking Isn't Easy?