# What You’ll 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 - 2 tablespoons 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 oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a saucepan, combine water, butter, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat, add flour all at once, stirring vigorously until dough forms and pulls away from the sides. Return pan to low heat; stir for 1-2 minutes to dry dough slightly. Transfer to a bowl; cool 2 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time until smooth and glossy. Pipe 12 oval shapes (about 3 inches long) for bodies and 12 S-shaped necks (about 2 inches long) for swan necks/heads onto prepared sheets. Bake bodies 25–28 minutes until golden and puffed; bake necks 12–15 minutes until set and lightly golden. Cool completely.
02 - Heat milk in a saucepan until just simmering. In a bowl, whisk sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch until pale. Gradually whisk hot milk into yolk mixture. Return to saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking until thickened, about 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk in vanilla and butter. Transfer to bowl, cover with plastic wrap touching surface, and chill until cool.
03 - Slice each choux body horizontally; cut the top piece in half lengthwise to form wings. Pipe or spoon pastry cream onto bottom halves. Insert neck vertically at one end; arrange wings on either side. Repeat for all pastries.
04 - Lightly dust assembled swans with powdered sugar before serving.
