This year for Mother’s Day, I wanted to make some fantastic cream puffs using my tried and tested recipe for zeppole di pasta choux with the addition of beetroot flour! It’s the same batter as savory cream puffs, as they are neutral “containers” that lend themselves to a thousand uses, becoming sweet if filled with sweet creams, or savory if filled with savory fillings! They are, therefore, perfect for all your special occasions! I love their versatility, and if you have many guests, I recommend doubling the quantities! Additionally, it’s important to prepare the choux pastry base the day before, so they have time to settle and become, after a night’s rest, soft as clouds! The cream I propose here is obviously customizable based on your tastes and dietary needs, in my case, it is a version flavored with vanilla and wild strawberries of my lemon vegan cream, therefore egg-free. Surprise your mom or someone you love, and you’ll see they will be a hit!
CURIOSITY: Did you know that choux pastry is a French-origin dough, more commonly known as “pasta bignè“? The origin of this preparation dates back to the 16th century, but its invention is attributed to an Italian pastry chef named Pantanelli/Penterelli, who was part of the entourage of Queen Catherine de Medici.
If you love to impress your guests with scenic desserts at the table, I recommend taking a peek at these preparations:
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 10 Minutes
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 25 cream puffs
- Cooking methods: Stovetop, Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Mother's Day, Father's Day
Ingredients
⚠ THIS RECIPE CONTAINS ONE OR MORE AFFILIATE LINKS. The products I recommend are the ones I use in my recipes; buying them through my blog helps support me and my work, while it costs you nothing extra!
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup beetroot flour
- 4 eggs
- 2/3 cup water
- 5.5 tbsp butter
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 cups plant-based milk (substitutable with whole or semi-skimmed milk)
- 1/2 cup plant-based whipping cream
- 1/4 cup cornstarch (cornflour)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2.1 oz wild strawberries (optional)
- A few wild strawberries
- as needed dark chocolate
Tools
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Wooden spoon
- 1 Piping bag
- 1 Knife
- 1 Baking tray
- 1 Parchment paper
- 1 Hand whisk
- 1 Strainer
- 1 Hand blender
- Electric beaters
- 1 Cling film
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Spatula
Steps
Start by preparing the base dough for the beetroot cream puffs by following all the steps HERE.
Transfer the dough into a piping bag with a wide star tip and distribute the zeppole on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, making a double turn.
Continue until the dough is all used up. Put in a ventilated oven at 392°F (200°C) for 15 minutes, then lower to 374°F (190°C) for another 10 minutes.
After this time, turn off and let rest in the oven with the door slightly ajar for 10 minutes, using a kitchen spoon, this will help to fully dry the zeppole. Remove from the oven and let cool completely at room temperature*.
In the meantime, prepare the cream by mixing in a bowl with the help of a hand whisk the sifted cornstarch with the brown sugar.
Gradually add half of the room temperature plant-based milk and mix well.
In a saucepan, heat the remaining milk and add the vanilla extract.
Then complete by pouring in the milk with the dissolved cornstarch and sugar.
Over low heat, stir continuously with a wooden spoon or whisk for a few minutes, but continuously.
When the cream has thickened completely, you can turn off the heat.
Pour the cream into a bowl and let it cool with cling film in contact at room temperature, stirring occasionally.
Once cooled, add the pureed wild strawberries previously blended with a hand blender.
Continue working with the immersion blender or whisk until you get a smooth mixture.
Whip the plant-based cream with electric beaters.
Add it to the vegan cream and mix with a spatula with slow movements from bottom to top to avoid deflating it.
Transfer the obtained cream into a piping bag, gently cut the cream puffs in half, and fill them.
Close them and garnish the top with more cream. Decorate with a few wild strawberries and dark chocolate chips cut with a knife.
And voilà… the sweet cream puffs with vegan vanilla cream and wild strawberries are ready to be enjoyed!
Bon Appétit from La Cucina di FeFè!
Storage
👉 Choux pastry zeppole without filling can be stored for several days at room temperature in an airtight container. They will remain as fragrant as the first day and ready to be filled or garnished as desired on the spot.
👉 Choux pastry zeppole without filling can be stored for several days at room temperature in an airtight container. They will remain as fragrant as the first day and ready to be filled or garnished as desired on the spot.
Tips, notes, variations, and suggestions
🟣* I always recommend preparing the zeppole the day before or if you’re in a hurry, in the morning to serve them in the evening, so they have time to cool at room temperature and become soft. In fact, once baked, they will initially be harder and crispier, which is absolutely normal. Once cooled and stored for a few hours in an airtight container, they will become soft and ready to be filled.
🟣For the filling, feel free to get creative with alternative creams such as custard, chocolate, lemon, white chocolate namelaka, mascarpone frosting, whipped cream etc.; same goes for the garnish: pistachio granules, whole pistachios, white chocolate chips, chocolate chips, fresh blueberries or other seasonal fruits, etc.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
What can be used instead of beetroot flour?
If you don’t want to give a more particular aftertaste to your zeppole, you can simply omit it and use 150 g of all-purpose flour instead.
Is it possible to make an entirely vegan version?
Of course, you can replace traditional butter with plant-based butter and eggs with maize flour and a few other tricks.
Ingredients:
250 gr water
50 gr plant-based butter
70 gr flour
30 gr cornstarch
50 gr beetroot flour
10 gr baking powder
200 gr plant-based beverage
1 pinch of salt
Procedure: bring the water to a boil with the plant-based butter and a pinch of salt, pour in the mixed flours with the starch (except for 30 gr) and, while stirring, cook until the dough comes away from the sides. Remove from heat and beat vigorously until the dough cools slightly. When the dough is lukewarm, gradually add the plant-based milk until you get a homogeneous mixture, then add the baking powder mixed with the reserved flour and work with a mixer or by hand for at least 45 minutes’, otherwise, they won’t puff up. Preheat the oven to 338°F (170°C). Prepare a piping bag with a star tip and a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Once the mixer has finished working, shape the zeppole and bake for about 30 minutes.
