Classic Cream Puffs

Classic cream puffs, made of light choux pastry shells filled with vanilla scented pastry cream are everyone's favourite dessert. Combination of tasty choux pastry and delicious cream made these dessert so adorable. 

These little puffs my seem complicated to make, but it's quite simple once you are familiar with all steps. Pastry cream is whipped up in 10 minutes with simple everyday ingredients such as milk, eggs, cornstarch...

This webpage contains affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

More desserts
you'll want to try:

In this dessert you will get familiar with magic of making choux pastry - which is also easy and simple - just divide into two steps. Follow our recipe below and you will be rewarded with these amazing creamy puffs your family and friends will adore.

Making pastry cream

Pastry cream is made so easily, in only 10 minutes. First prepare all ingredients: MILK, HEAVY CREAM, EGG YOLKS, SUGAR, CORNSTARCH plus some LEMON PEEL for extra citrus flavour.

1. The process is easy - first heat milk, heavy cream with lemon peel in a saucepan. Leave aside for 3-4 minutes, then remove lemon peel.
   
   
2.  Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch until combine.
   
   
3. Slowly pour half of the milk into the egg mixture, whisking continuously, then pour back this into the saucepan. Cook on a low heat for 2-3 minutes. Cream will start to thicken immediately. 

We recommend to strain the cream to get silky texture. Once strained, leave to cool for a few minutes, then keep in the fridge covered with cling film. Pastry cream can be enriched to get different flavours like in our recipe for coconut cream puffs.

USEFUL TIP! It is important to slowly pour the milk onto the cold eggs before you return the mixture to the pan to prevent the eggs from scrambling. Stir the pastry cream continuously, so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the saucepan.

How to make choux pastry dough

Choux pastry may seem complicated to make, but it's quite easy and simple. This dough is first cooked on the stove, then shaped into rounds and baked in the oven until they are puffed and golden. 

For the choux pastry you will need:

• WATER
• FLOUR
• PINCH OF SALT
• EGGS
• BUTTER

First place water in a heavy-based saucepan together with a pinch of salt and butter cutted into smaller pieces. Heat until it start to simmer, then pour flour into it at once and cook until the ball of dough forms.

Use wooden spoon for beating the dough against the bottom of the pan. Transfer the dough into one bowl, slightly cool then add eggs and using electric mixer, form a smooth shiny dough.

For more useful tips and detailed explanation for making perfect choux pastry, check our detailed CHOUX PASTRY GUIDE with PHOTOS.

Shaping choux pastry puffs

Transfer the pastry dough into a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe as many puffs as you'd like, but keep them all the same size so they cook evenly.

From this dough you will get 20 medium-sized puffs. Pipe the dough in a circle and work your way up, but avoid making a peak. It will burn in the oven. If you make peaks, just flatten them down with your finger or a spoon.

How to shape choux puffs

Choux puffs can be shaped in two ways:

1. The easiest way to shape the puffs is by transferring the dough into a piping bag then pipe small rounds on the sheet lined with baking paper.
   
   
2. If you don' have a piping bag on hand, you can do this using two teaspoons. Just grab one teaspoon of the batter and slide on the baking sheet using another teaspoon.

When piping choux pastry hold the piping bag with your left hand in the bottom, and squeeze the piping bag on the top with right hand. Once you make a mound make a sharp, circular movement to stop.

Pipe the dough into conical shapes as this will result later in perfectly shaped crema puffs ideal for filling. Once you are done wet your finger and smooth down the points of each puff.

Baking choux pastry puffs

For baking choux pastry you need to preheat the oven to high temperature 200°C (392°F) to help the pastries puff, then lower slightly to help them cook and give some golden colour. 2 - 3 minutes before the end of baking, prick each puff with a toothpick to release the steam out.

Extra tips for choux pastry baking

• Don't open the oven while pastries cooks, as cool air will prevent them from properly puffing up. Bake until the pastries are slightly puffed, golden brown and dry to the touch. 
  
  
• Sometimes puffs can be golden on the outside but still not cooked inside. If you take out puffs from the oven a bit too early they will deflate. The best way to check if they are ready is to take one puff from the oven, wait for 30 seconds and then cut to see if it is ready. It should be hard and not eggy inside and once cutted it should keep the form.

Filling cream puffs

Once the pastry cream is cooled, add vanilla bean paste, stir and spoon into piping bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe each shell with the pastry cream, the top. Dust with some icing sugar. Serve immediately, or keep in the fridge until serving.

Storing classic cream puffs

Cream puffs are best served the day they are made, but will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days. 

A few of our popular dessert recipes:

• Classic Crêpes
• Lemon Hazelnut Tarts
• Vanilla Ice-Cream
• Raspberry White Chocolate Mousse Tarts
• Puff Pastry Tarts with Lemon Cream

CATEGORIES: Pastries & Tarts, Spring & Summer