Windbeutel (German Cream Puffs with Sour Cherries)

Instructions

1. For the cherry compote, whisk 3 tbsp of the reserved cherry juice with the cornstarch. Bring the rest of the juice and the granulated sugar to a boil, whisk in the cornstarch mixture and boil until thick and clear, about 1 minute. Stir in the drained jarred sour cherries, chop them roughly in the pan with a spoon edge, then cool and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
3. Bring the water, whole milk, diced butter, 5 g sugar and salt to a full boil. Take off the heat, add the sifted all-purpose flour all at once and stir until smooth, then cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until the dough forms a ball and a thin film coats the pan, 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Transfer the dough to a bowl and let cool 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs a little at a time until the dough is glossy and falls from the spoon in a thick V-shaped ribbon; you may not need the last spoonful of egg.
5. Pipe or spoon 12 mounds about 2 inches (5 cm) wide onto the sheets, 2 inches (5 cm) apart, and smooth any points with a wet finger.
6. Bake one sheet at a time without opening the door for the first 20 minutes, until puffed, deep golden and dry-feeling, 25 to 30 minutes in total. Pierce the side of each puff with a skewer and return to the switched-off oven, door ajar, for 5 minutes to dry. Cool completely on a rack, about 20 minutes.
7. Whip the chilled heavy cream with the 40 g powdered sugar and the vanilla extract to firm peaks and spoon it into a piping bag with a large star tip.
8. Cut the top third off each puff. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of cherry compote into each base, pipe a tall swirl of cream on top, replace the lids and dust with the remaining powdered sugar. Serve within 2 hours.