Delicious cream puffs with custard and strawberries or other fresh fruit. I had prepared these delicious puffs some time ago but forgot to give you the recipe. I take advantage of today’s cooler weather to work a bit in the attic. It’s never great in the heat, but you can console yourself by looking at this wonderful tray of puffs ready, filled with a delicious custard and fresh strawberries. For the puffs, I used my usual choux pastry recipe. If you want, since it makes at least 40 puffs, you can halve the amount, or do like me, use part for the puffs and another part to make zeppole or other treats. For the filling, plentiful custard is perfect, especially the quick and no-waste vanilla one.
- Difficulty: Hard
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 1 Hour
- Portions: 40 pieces
- Cooking methods: Oven, Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients for cream puffs
- 1 cup water
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 7 tbsps butter
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tsp sugar (optional)
- 4 medium eggs or a bit more
- 2 cups milk
- 2 eggs
- 2 tbsps sugar
- 2 tbsps cornstarch (about 1.4 oz)
- as needed vanilla
- 9 oz strawberries
- as needed powdered sugar
Tools to prepare cream puffs with strawberries
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Kitchen spatula
- 2 Bowls
- 1 Piping bag
- 2 Baking sheets
- 2 Parchment paper
- 1 Sieve
- 1 Knife
Steps to prepare cream puffs
Put the water, butter, and a pinch of salt in a thick-bottomed saucepan, with optional sugar.
Bring to a near boil, then turn off the heat and add all the flour, stirring to obtain a smooth mixture without lumps. Return to heat until the mixture detaches from the pan, stirring constantly.
Transfer to a bowl and spread out to cool quickly, then add the eggs one at a time, adding the second after the first is well incorporated, and so on. If necessary, add a part of the 5th egg.
Once a glossy dough is obtained, it’s ready for cooking. Transfer to a piping bag and pipe mounds onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
Bake one tray at a time in a static oven at 428°F for the first 15-20 minutes. When the choux pastry is golden, lower the temperature to 392°F for another 10-15 minutes. Then lower to 356-320°F, adjusting based on your oven, and keep for another 10 minutes with the door slightly open. It is crucial to let them dry well so they don’t collapse once removed from the oven; they should be crunchy and firm.
Continue until finished.
In a saucepan, put cornstarch and sugar, mix, and then add the eggs one at a time to obtain a lump-free cream. Dilute with milk and bring to a boil. If using powdered vanilla, add it with the flour.
Bring to a boil, stirring continuously until the cream is well thickened. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap in contact, and let cool.
Wash the strawberries in water and baking soda, dry, and slice. Mix in a bowl with a tablespoon of sugar.
Cut the puffs in half with a knife and fill with custard from a piping bag or simply with a teaspoon, add two slices of strawberries and close with the empty half.
Place on a tray, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and leave in the fridge a bit before enjoying them. If you like the crunchy shell, they can also be eaten immediately.
Filled cream puffs with custard and strawberries can be stored in the fridge for a couple of days. For longer storage, leave them empty, well sealed in an airtight container.
