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Cream Puffs

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5 from 3 reviews

Light, airy, and decadent cream puffs. Filled with the most delicious pastry cream. Dipped in melted chocolate. Get the perfect cream puff every single time!

Ingredients

Scale

Choux Pastry

  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup flour
  • 4 large eggs

Pastry Cream

  • 2 cups milk
  • 1/4 cup + 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream, divided
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 6 large egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

 

  • Chocolate chips for topping 

Instructions

For the Choux Pastry

  1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. To a medium sauce pan add water, butter and salt. On medium heat bring the mixture to a boil.
  3. Slightly lower the heat. Add the flour and mix until the dough comes together, is smooth and forms a ball. This usually takes 1-2 minutes. 
  4. Take the saucepan off the heat. Cool for 5 minutes.  Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. The dough will be sticky and glossy. 
  5. Shape the dough into small balls and place on prepared baking sheet. Or place the dough into a piping bag and using a large tip, pipe the dough onto the baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, then check on the pastry shells. If the pastries are not deep golden brown, bake for an additional 10-15 minutes. 
  6. Cool completely.  

For the Pastry Cream

  1. In a medium saucepan heat the milk, 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream and vanilla extract. Once the milk is warm, take off the heat and set aside.
  2. To a mixer bowl add egg yolks and sugar. Whisk until mixture is pale and thick. Add cornstarch and mix on low speed until just combined.
  3. Combine both mixtures by tempering. To temper: Whisking constantly add about 1/4 cup of the milk to the egg yolk mixture. Whisk until combined. Whisking constantly, add the rest of the milk to the egg yolk mixture. Whisk until combined. Pour everything back into the sauce pan.
  4. Cook the pastry cream on medium-low heat until the pastry cream thickens. Be sure to whisk constantly or every few minutes.  (The pastry cream starts to thicken after about 10 minutes.)
  5. Take off the heat, add the butter and stir until melted and smooth.
  6. Cool for a few minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Cover the pastry cream with plastic wrap ensuring that the plastic wrap is touching the pastry cream. This ensures that no film forms over the pastry cream. 
  7. Refrigerate until cool and set.
  8. In the meantime, beat 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Once the pastry cream has cooled fold the whipped cream into the pastry cream. 

Filling Cream Puffs

  1. Fill a pastry bag with pastry cream. Make a hole in the cream puff and fill with pastry cream.
  2. Dip in melted chocolate.

Notes

  • Add eggs one at a time making sure to mix well after each addition. It may look like the dough isn’t combing together, but it well. Just keep mixing. The dough will be sticky and glossy. You should be able to run the spoon in the center of the dough, and the sides of the dough should not collapse into the dough.
  • If you don’t have a piping bag, you can use your hands to form a ball with the dough. To prevent the dough sticking to your hands, spray a bit of cooking spray, butter, oil or water into your palms.
  • If there are any rough edges or pointed peaks on the choux pastry, wet finger and lightly smooth out the edges.
  • Do not open the door when baking! Opening the door may cause the pastries to collapse. 

Find it online: https://tastytreatpantry.com/cream-puffs/