Vanilla custard (pastry cream) filled Cream Puffs
Choux pastry, or pâte à choux, is a delicate European pastry dough. Cream puffs also known as profiterole, or chou à la crème is a filled French choux pastry ball with a typically sweet filling of whipped cream, custard, pastry cream, or ice cream. This is a classic cream puff filled will a vanilla pastry cream (like a custard/pudding) glazed with chocolate ganache. It is one of my favorite pastries to make. I am yet to meet someone who does not like this sweet. The balance of flavors and textures makes this an exceptional pastry and it is a must-try. it is perfect for parties or dessert tables. They also look so pretty. I can’t wait for you to try it and fall in love with it.
Happy Baking!
Servings: 24-28 cream puffs
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 40 mins
Baking Time: 40 mins
Chilling Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 3-4 hours
Ingredients:
Pastry cream:
700g 3 cups milk
160g sugar 1 cup sugar
4 egg yolk (70g)
2 egg 100g
68g 3/4 cup cornstarch
80g butter
1.5 tsp Vanilla essence or 1/2 vanilla bean
Choux pastry:
200g 1 1/3 cup milk
50g -1/4 cup water
105g 7.5 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1 cup + 1 tsp flour
250g/5 eggs
Directions:
Pastry cream- In a bowl whisk together, eggs, egg yolks, sugar, vanilla, and cornstarch.
In a saucepan, bring milk to a boil on medium heat.
When it comes to a boil, pour the milk into the cornstarch mixture, whisking vigorously. This process is called tempering. Be sure to whip it fast so that the eggs don’t cook or scramble.
Transfer it back to the saucepan and cook it on low heat. Keep whisking until the pastry cream thickens and bubbles. Continue whisking for 1 minute and make sure to be fast so that it does not lump up or scramble.
Take it off the flame and add butter immediately and mix it in.
If need be pass it through a sieve.
Transfer to a bowl and cover with cling wrap making sure that the cling wrap touches the surface of the pastry cream. This will prevent it from forming a crust on top.
Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
Choux pastry- Combine milk, butter, sugar, and salt in a pan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
When it comes to a boil add the flour all at once. Stir vigorously removing any lumps of flour to a smooth consistency.
Cook it, stirring constantly, until the paste forms a ball and a skin forms on the bottom of the pot. For non-stick it may not form a skin. Cook for about 3-5 minutes.
Transfer the paste to the bowl. Using an electric mixer beat on the lowest speed with the paddle to cool the paste slightly, about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time making sure to scrape down the bowl often.
Mix it till the dough comes together. It should be sticky and smooth.
Preheat oven to 340F.
Using a piping bag pipe out circular mounds on a lined baking tray.
Bake at 340F for 12 mins and then rotate the tray. Increase temperature to 350f and bake for 7-8 mins.
It should be golden brown and puffed up. They should sound hollow from the bottom.
Once out of the oven, move them around so that so they don’t deflate.
Let it cool down and then fill.
Take the pastry cream out of the fridge and whisk it together to make sure it is smooth.
Assembly- Cut in half or make a hole at the bottom. Fill with pastry cream. Sandwich if cut in half. Let it sit in the fridge for 1-3 hours after filling.
Serve with chocolate ganache. You can glaze it and chill it and serve.
Notes/Tips:
Choux pastry:
If you are using a nonstick pan, make sure the choux dough forms a skin at the base.
You can make the dough from before. I freeze the dough for up to 2-4 weeks. Thaw and use. It rises almost as well as it does when made fresh.
If you like a crisper shell, use more water. If you like it softer, use more milk.
Shaking the choux pastry once baked, move it around to deflate.
Pastry Cream:
Cook it on low-medium heat.
Make sure you keep whisking it after adding eggs so that it does not scramble.
To make sure there are no lumps, pass it through a fine-mesh sieve.
Make sure you make the cling wrap touch the top layer or it will form a thick skin.
It lasts well in the fridge for 2-3 days.
The recipe for chocolate ganache is here. Make a thicker one, the ratio of cream: chocolate is 1:2.
