Description
Delight in these classic French cream puffs featuring light and airy choux pastry filled with rich, luscious vanilla cream custard. Perfectly golden on the outside and silky smooth inside, these elegant desserts are ideal for special occasions or an indulgent treat.
Ingredients
Scale
For the choux pastry:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
For the vanilla cream filling:
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
For topping (optional):
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Prepare the choux pastry dough: Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium saucepan, combine butter, water, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the flour all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan, approximately 1–2 minutes. Remove from heat and let the dough cool slightly.
- Incorporate the eggs: Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition until the dough is smooth and glossy. Transfer the dough to a piping bag.
- Pipe and bake the puffs: Pipe 12 evenly sized mounds onto the prepared baking sheet, ensuring they are spaced apart to allow expansion. Bake for 25–30 minutes or until the puffs are golden and puffed. Turn off the oven, crack the door open, and let the puffs sit inside for 10 minutes to help prevent deflation.
- Cool the pastries: Remove the cream puffs from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the vanilla cream filling: Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat until it begins to steam. In a separate bowl, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, salt, and egg yolks until smooth. Slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking. Return the entire mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until thickened, about 3–5 minutes.
- Finish the custard: Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in butter and vanilla extract until fully incorporated. Transfer the custard to a bowl and press plastic wrap directly onto its surface to prevent a skin from forming. Chill until cold.
- Assemble the cream puffs: Once the cream puffs and filling are completely cooled, slice each puff in half horizontally. Fill each bottom half with the vanilla cream using a spoon or piping bag, then top with the other half.
- Serve and garnish: Optionally, dust the filled cream puffs with powdered sugar before serving for an elegant finish.
Notes
- Prepare the vanilla cream filling a day ahead to save time and allow flavors to meld.
- For a lighter texture, fold whipped cream into the cooled custard filling.
- Alternatively, substitute the vanilla cream with whipped cream or chocolate pastry cream for a delightful twist.
