Cream Puffs Recipe

Cream puff with powdered sugar on top and strawberries on the side

Prep Time: 1 30

Cook Time: 1 20

Servings: cream puffs

Calories: 326kcal

Author: Maureen Abood

These cream puffs are filled with vanilla pastry cream that is lightened with whipped cream. You can fill the puffs with just whipped cream or with ice cream. The choux paste dough is very soft and can be piped or spooned. I love to include seasonal fruit like strawberries or raspberries, either on the side or tucked right into the puff. Make the pastry cream in advance (at least two hours and up to three days) so that it has time to chill.

Print Recipe

Equipment

1 Silpat

Ingredients

Pastry Cream

2 cups whole milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
5 large egg yolks
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons corn starch
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Shells

1 cup whole milk (or water)
4 oz. unsalted butter cut in 1-inch pieces
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
4 large eggs lightly beaten
1/2 cup heavy cream

Strawberries

1 quart strawberries hulled and sliced
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon rose water

Instructions

Pastry cream

In a medium heavy saucepan, heat the milk with over medium heat. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the 5 egg yolks until they are lightly beaten. Add the granulated sugar and salt and whisk until the mixture is smooth and light yellow in color. Add the flour and corn starch and whisk until thick and creamy.
Whisk 1 cup of the warm milk into the egg mixture. Slowly add the remaining warm milk and whisk until fully combined. Pour the mixture through a sieve, back into the saucepan and return to medium heat. Whisk constantly until the mixture begins to thicken, 5-10 minutes. Take care not to burn the bottom of the pan while the pudding is cooking by whisking continually.
When the pastry cream is thick, remove from heat and add the vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of butter. Pour the pastry cream into a small bowl and place plastic wrap directly against the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until completely cool, at least 1 hour.

Shells

Arrange an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a half-sheet pan with parchment paper or a Silpat.
In a clean small, heavy saucepan, melt the butter and salt with the milk (or water) over low heat, then bring toa boil for a few seconds.
Take the pan off the heat and add the cup of flour all at once. Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon, until no flour is visible.
Return the pan to medium heat and continue beat until the mixture is warm and shiny, about a minute. Remove from the heat again (and for good). To add the eggs, do so a small amount at a time (about ¼ cup), beating thoroughly with the wooden spoon after each addition. The mixture will separate and become wet and slippery with each addition of egg, but continue beating through this after each addition until the mixture incorporates and emulsifies into a smooth, moist dough. Reserve about 1 tablespoon of the egg at the end, which will be used as egg wash for the cream puffs before they are baked.
Pipe or spoon the batter in 12 evenly-sized rounds (about 2 ½ inches each) onto the prepared pan, about 2 inches apart. If spooning, they are not going to be perfect in shape, which is to be expected. If piping and the top of the piped rounds are pointed, simply dip a finger in water and pat down the top of each round. Using a small pastry brush, coat the top of each ball of dough with egg wash.
Bake for 15 minutes. Do not open the oven during this time, to allow for the dough to puff up properly. Reduce heat to 350°F and bake for another 35 minutes, or until the puffs are golden and the crevices are no longer pale yellow. Remove from the oven and make a small cut in each puff with the point of a sharp knife to release steam. Turn the oven off and return the pan to the oven to allow the puffs to dry out for another 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool the puffs completely.
Meanwhile, make the strawberries. In a medium bowl, add the berries, all but a tablespoon of the confectioners' sugar, and rose water. Stir to combine, then aside until ready to serve.
When ready to serve, reconstitute the chilled pastry cream by whisking it until smooth. Whip the heavy cream with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the pastry cream until fully combined.
Use a serrated knife to slice the top off of each puff. Remove any excess eggy dough from inside the puffs. Fill each puff with a large spoonful of pastry cream. Place the top on the puff, place the puff on a plate, and sift powdered sugar over the puff and the plate. Spoon the strawberries alongside the cream puff, and serve immediately.

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