Recipe by Quaglino’s Head Chef James Hulme
For the choux buns
- 500g water
- 500g whole milk
- 400g butter
- 10g salt
- 30g sugar
- 650g flour sieved
- 16-18 eggs
For the Chantilly cream
- 300g double cream
- 300g whipping cream
- 60g icing sugar
- 1 vanilla pod scraped to remove the seeds
Method
- Bring to boil the water, milk, salt, sugar & butter. Once boiling fiercely add the SIEVED flour still and stir very well until smooth and no lumps are visible
- Continue to dry out the mix on a low heat for 5 mins
- Add to a mixing bowl with the paddle attachment, beat gently to release the steam for a further 2 mins.
- Slowly add the eggs 2 or 3 at a time until each is incorporated.
Transfer to another bowl and cover with cling film to contact and leave to rest for 1 hour
- Place the mix into a piping bag and make tennis ball sized pieces on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper. Cook at 195oc for 23 minutes, then turn the oven down to 175oc and cook for a further 10 minutes. Turn the oven off and allow the buns to cool.
- For the cream, place all ingredients in a bowl and whip until soft peaks start to form, transfer to a piping bag.
- Cut a little hole in the bottom of the buns and pipe the cream in to fully fill the inside.
Quaglino’s Head Chef James Hulme
Quaglino’s Head Chef James Hulme has worked alongside some of the best in the industry such as Tom Aikens and Richard Corrigan and trained under culinary legends Marco Pierre White, Matt Brown and Roger Pizey. Having now taken up position at one of London’s most iconic venues, Quaglino’s, he is there to help keep their menus aligned with the elegance and history of the restaurant.
From an early age James has been interested in food, his mother was a home economics teacher and always cooked, inspiring James’ fresh, clean and traditional style of cooking. He has been working in kitchens since he was 15 years old, having held almost every position in the kitchen from Commis to Head Chef in a number of Manchester and London’s best restaurants including Marco, Plateau and Pont de la Tour.
As a classically trained chef, James specialises in British, French and Italian cuisine, whilst also following modern techniques to keep the menus exciting and innovative. With 30 kitchen staff reporting to him, he focuses on the development of Quaglino’s menu, ensuring that the venue has a menu that matches it’s traditional and decadent style.