Cream Puffs Recipe

Cream Puffs Recipe

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Ingredients:

For the Dough:

  • 1 cup water
  • 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 large eggs, lightly beaten

For the Pastry Cream:

  • 2 cups milk
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Instructions:

Make the Dough:

  1. Boil Water and Butter: In a medium saucepan, combine water, butter, and salt. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.
  2. Add Flour: Quickly stir in the flour all at once. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture forms a smooth ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
  3. Cool Slightly: Transfer the dough to a large bowl and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
  4. Add Eggs: Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until the dough is smooth and glossy.
  5. Pipe and Bake: Pipe the dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake in a preheated 425°F (220°C) oven for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed.
  6. Cool: Let the puffs cool completely on a wire rack.

Make the Pastry Cream:

  1. Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a medium saucepan, whisk together the cornstarch, sugar, and salt.
  2. Whisk in Milk and Egg Yolks: Gradually whisk in the milk and egg yolks until smooth.
  3. Cook: Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil.
  4. Add Vanilla and Butter: Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and butter.
  5. Cool: Cover the surface of the cream with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool completely, then chill until ready to use.

Assemble the Cream Puffs:

  1. Fill the Puffs: Using a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip, fill the cooled puffs with the pastry cream.
  2. Dust with Powdered Sugar: Dust the filled puffs with powdered sugar, if desired.

Tips:

  • For a richer flavor, use heavy cream instead of milk in the pastry cream.
  • To prevent the puffs from deflating, make sure they are completely cool before filling.
  • You can store the unfilled puffs in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
  • The filled puffs can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.

Enjoy your homemade cream puffs!

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