Creamy Lemon and Raspberry Filled Mini Paris Brests pour toi!

Today, I have made these mini Paris Brests for you.  Yes, you, dear reader!  I would like to say a big "thank you," or "merci," to my followers.  Yesterday, I noticed that I have over 200 followers.  I am blown-away by this number! I am so thankful for your support, your comments and your encouragements!  I am also grateful that I get to read your lovely blogs in return.  I have really made friends in the blogosphere.  In my mind, you all have your own specialities; be it French recipes, healthy food or American treats at their best.  On the other hand, at the core of my blog, is a love of France and the way French chefs present their food so well.  I try to uphold this importance of food presentation in every post.  
These Paris Brests are filled with Creamy Lemon and Raspberry Filling and topped with White Chocolate Ganache. 

Ingredients for Choux Pastry
200ml water
2g caster sugar
1g sea salt
100g unsalted butter
175g 00 [bakers] flour, or alternatively plain flour
4-5 eggs [approx 60-70g)

Method for Pastry
Place cold water, salt and sugar in a pot; bring to a gentle boil. Meanwhile cut the butter into 1cm dice cubes and add to pot so butter just melts as water approaches gentle boil (should be around 98 degrees). At that point add all of the sifted flour. Mix immediately over low heat with wooden spoon. Dough will come away from sides of pot and develop a gloss; cook in order to bind for about 2-3 minutes. You will know roughly when it is glossy, bound and steam is coming off mixture. Remove from heat, keep stirring for 2 minutes off the heat to let it cool slightly. A trick to test if it's cool enough is to touch with your fingers and if they don't hurt/burn then it's fine. This is important otherwise the eggs, which are now to be added, will simply scramble. Add 1 of the eggs, and incoroporate thoroughly. Then add another, and incorporate. Keep going until all eggs are in and the mixture is not to dry or stiff. A trick to testing if the choux pastry is going okay is to see if it slowly falls off the spoon when held up in the air over the bowl. The paste should ultimately be a piping consistency ie. hold up on the tray.   Use a 8-10mm straight nozzle in the piping bag and water to smooth any mishapen strips.  Line a tray and pipe small and even shaped circles on the tray.  Should be able to pipe rougly 6-8, depending on size.  Bake at 190 degrees in moist oven until fully risen, 8 or so minutes. When I say moist - spray your oven with some water from a bottle before poping the tray in. Alternatively pop a small stainless steel bowl full of water at the bottom tray of your oven. Now you need a dry oven to colour the pastry for another 6 minutes or until golden in colour then drop temperature to 140-150 degrees to dry out inside of pastry, another 10-15 minutes necessary baking time. Remove and place on cooling rack. 

Ingredients for Creamy Lemon and Raspberry Filling
120mL freshly whipped cream
250g mascarpone cheese
1 1/2 tbsp icing sugar
juice of 1 large lemon
1 cup fresh raspberries, chopped roughly

Method
In a bowl, beat together the mascarpone cheese, whipped cream, sugar and lemon juice until combined.  Stir through the raspberries until combined. 

Ingredients for White Chocolate Ganache
250g white chocolate, chopped
100mL full fat cream
1 drop of pink food colouring
40 edible petals

Method
In a bain-marie set up, melt the white chocolate.  Just before the white chocolate is fully melted, and I mean just before (ie. very few lumps left), pour the cream in and mix together until completely combined.  Remove from heat.  Stir together so there are no lumps and the cream is incorporate.  Add 1 drop of pink food colouring and stir together until the ganache is now coloured pink.  Allow to cool slightly before using in assembly.

Method for Assembly
Place cooked and cooled paris brests on a chopping board. Carefully take a knife and slice the brests in half horizontally.  Using two teaspoons, place the Creamy Lemon and Raspberry Filling onto one of the halves of pastry.  Smooth out.  Top this filled half with the other pastry half.  Now drizzle the cooled White Chocolate Ganache on top of the Paris Brest.  Sprinkle each Paris Brest with 5 petals and serve!