# What You'll Need:
→ Choux Pastry
01 - 1/2 cup water
02 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cubed
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
05 - 2 large eggs
→ Pastry Cream
06 - 1 cup whole milk
07 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
08 - 2 large egg yolks
09 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch
10 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
11 - 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
→ Decoration
12 - Powdered sugar, for dusting
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine water, butter, and salt; bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add flour all at once, stirring vigorously until dough pulls away from sides. Return to low heat; cook 1-2 minutes to dry the dough. Transfer to a bowl and cool 2 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time until smooth and glossy. Pipe 12 oval shapes approximately 3 inches long for the bodies, then pipe 12 S-shaped necks about 2 inches long. Bake bodies for 25-28 minutes until golden and puffed; bake necks for 12-15 minutes until set and lightly golden. Cool completely.
02 - Heat milk in a saucepan until just simmering. Whisk sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch in a bowl until pale. Gradually whisk hot milk into yolk mixture, then return to saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking until thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat, whisk in vanilla and butter. Pour into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap touching surface, and chill until cool.
03 - Slice each choux body horizontally. Cut the top half in half lengthwise to form wings. Spoon or pipe pastry cream onto bottom halves. Insert the neck vertically at one end, and arrange wings on both sides. Repeat for all pastries.
04 - Lightly dust assembled swans with powdered sugar before serving.
