Berry-Glazed Cream Puffs

Directions

1. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the pâte à choux in a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip. If desired, pipe a small amount of pâte à choux at the corners of the parchment paper to help keep it in place while you work.
2. Hold the pastry bag straight up and down above one of the baking sheets and pipe 2-inch mounds of pâte à choux onto the baking sheet, spaced at least 1 inch apart, and staggering the rows as you pipe. As each round nears the correct size, release the pressure on the bag and use a quick flick of the wrist to help break the connection between the dough and the pastry tip.
3. Use a fingertip dipped in cool water to smooth the edge where you finished piping, if desired. Let the puffs sit at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
4. Brush the puffs with egg wash. Bake until golden and crisp, 25 to 30 minutes. (Optional: Once the puffs have become lightly golden and the structure is set, about 30 minutes into baking, you can remove the trays from the oven and let cool completely, then return to the oven for 5 to 10 minutes more. This helps the choux brown more evenly.)
5. When you remove the choux from the oven, immediately use a paring knife to poke a small vent into the side of the puffs to allow steam to escape (this will help to keep them crisp). Cool completely.
6. Make the pastry cream: Combine the milk, salt, about half of the sugar, vanilla bean seeds, and pod in a medium pot. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat.
7. Meanwhile, in a medium, heat-proof bowl, whisk together the remaining sugar with the cornstarch. When the mixture comes to a simmer, remove the vanilla pod, and turn the heat to medium-low.
8. Whisk the egg yolks into the sugar and cornstarch mixture, then gradually pour about ⅓ of the hot milk into the bowl, whisking constantly to combine. Return the mixture to the pot, and cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly until the mixture begins to thicken (at which point it can be helpful to switch to a silicone spatula), and continue to cook until the mixture gets very thick and fat bubbles break the surface towards the center of the pot, 3 to 4 minutes.
9. Remove from the heat, and stir in the butter. Strain the pastry cream into a medium-heat safe bowl, cover the surface directly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until well chilled. 10. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream to medium-stiff peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream into the chilled pastry cream, and transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a Bismarck or medium round pastry tip.
10. Insert the tip into the base of the cooled puffs and fill with diplomat cream until they feel heavy and full. Repeat with the remaining puffs.
11. Make the berry glaze, and spoon it over the puffs. Let the glaze drip down the sides. Let set for 15 minutes for the glaze to firm up. Serve within 8 hours.