Cream puffs are such delicious and irresistible pastries! They are one of the classic preparations of French patisserie, a shell of choux pastry filled with custard or chantilly cream and sprinkled with powdered sugar. They are irresistible and super delicious! The recipe is simple; we just need to follow the steps carefully to prepare the choux pastry, and we’re done! So, let’s put on our aprons and prepare them together, here’s the recipe!
See you soon, Susy
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 24
- Cooking methods: Stovetop, Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 57.74 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 5.78 (g) of which sugars 3.07 (g)
- Proteins 1.51 (g)
- Fat 3.33 (g) of which saturated 1.93 (g)of which unsaturated 1.40 (g)
- Fibers 0.12 (g)
- Sodium 21.78 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 25 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for making cream puffs
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 1/4 cup cornstarch (cornflour)
- 1 lemon zest
- as needed powdered sugar
Tools
- 1 Whisk
- Saucepan – non-stick
- Piping bag
I purchased the piping bag and nozzles on Amazon, if you’re interested you can find them HERE
Steps to prepare cream puffs
In a saucepan, bring the water, butter, and pinch of salt to a boil. Turn off the heat and add the sifted flour all at once, return the saucepan to low heat and cook the dough until it dries out. When it starts to sizzle, turn off the heat and let it cool in a bowl.
Once cooled, incorporate the slightly beaten eggs, using the whisk to make the dough homogeneous. Transfer everything to a piping bag with a star or plain nozzle.
Form the puffs, ensuring to space them apart directly on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
Bake at 356°F for 30 minutes with the oven door slightly open, place a teaspoon between the door and the oven, turn off the oven, open the door, and let them dry and cool before filling.
Pour the milk into a non-stick saucepan with the zest of an untreated lemon over low heat. In a bowl, combine sugar, egg yolks, and sifted cornstarch, mixing well with a whisk to combine. When the milk is hot, remove the lemon zest and pour it into the yolk mixture, mix to combine and transfer everything back to the saucepan.
Start cooking over low heat, constantly stirring with the whisk; it should thicken without forming lumps, the cream is ready! Pour it into a bowl covered with cling film in contact and let it cool before using.
Now it’s time to fill our cream puffs. Transfer the custard into a piping bag with a long and narrow nozzle, perfect for making a small hole in the puff, fill them with cream, and finish with a sprinkle of powdered sugar.
I recommend consuming them right away; otherwise, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for no more than 2 days.
