Cream Bird's Nest Pastry

Cream Bird's Nest Pastry

　　The Cream Bird's Nest Pastry is an innovative product developed by a branch of Chongqing Guanshengyuan. Its production technique blends both Chinese and Western characteristics, while its flavor and quality combine the essence of Sichuan, Guangdong, and Guangxi cuisines. Its color resembles white snow with yellow plum blossoms, and its taste is sweet and fragrant.

　　—— Method for Making Cream Bird's Nest Pastry ——

　　Ingredients: Water dough (12.65 kg of special flour, 3.2 kg of margarine) Flaky dough (12.65 kg of special flour, 6.5 kg of margarine) Filling (cream paste makes up 15% of the final product, meringue paste makes up 15% of the final product.)

　　Preparation:

　　1. Water dough: Sift the special flour, mix and stir it with the margarine, then add water. The amount of water should be 40% of the special flour, added gradually, slightly more or less depending on the moisture level of the flour. Then stir until evenly mixed to form a dough.

　　2. Flaky dough: First melt the lard, then mix in the special flour until well combined.

　　3. Wrapping the flaky dough: Wrap the flaky dough inside the water dough, using 2/3 water dough and 1/3 flaky dough. After wrapping, divide into two equal parts, shape each into a bird’s nest form, then fry in oil.

　　4. Frying: Use margarine; keep the oil temperature at around 150°C. When the layers are fully formed, the pastry floats on the surface, and is thoroughly cooked, remove from the oil. Let it cool before filling.

　　5. Filling: The filling process is done in two steps. Use a specialized tool to first pipe the cream paste into the “bird’s nest,” then pipe the meringue paste over the cream paste so that the nest is filled with both yellow and white sugar pastes. Both the cream and meringue pastes each make up 15% of the food product.

　　6. Ingredients and preparation of the cream paste: Use 46.8% cream, 37.5% Sichuan white sugar, 15.6% fresh eggs, and 0.1% vanilla as ingredients. For preparation, first dissolve the Sichuan white sugar in water (ratio 10:4), boil it, filter it, and then continue boiling. When the sugar reaches 105°C, pour in the beaten egg whites. Use fresh egg whites, beat them for about 10 minutes until they resemble snow cream. When the foam on the beater stands upright without collapsing (forming a "cock’s tail"), pour in the sugar syrup while continuously stirring, and do so quickly. After adding the syrup, stir for another 10 minutes, let it rest briefly until the temperature drops to around 50°C, then mix in the cream (which must be melted beforehand), and stir for another 10 minutes or so. Once cooled, the cream paste is ready.

　　7. Ingredients and preparation of the meringue paste: Use 29% egg whites, 70% Sichuan white sugar, 1% gelatin powder, and 0.1% vanilla as ingredients. For preparation, first dissolve the gelatin powder in water (water amounting to 50% of the total ingredient weight), then add the Sichuan white sugar and boil to around 110°C. Pour in the beaten egg whites (beaten as in the cream paste preparation), mixing continuously while pouring. After the syrup is added, include the vanilla (a small amount of citric acid can also be added at this point), mix well, and let it cool for later use.

　　Food characteristics: Crispy, delicate, with clear flaky layers and no impurities. Flavor: Sweet and tender, refreshing on the palate, highlighting the aroma of lard and cream.