Description
Airy and elegant cream puffs featuring a light, hollow choux pastry filled with luscious vanilla cream. This classic French dessert is simple to make, customizable, and perfect for special occasions or everyday indulgence.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Choux Pastry
- 1 cup water
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs (room temperature)
For the Cream Filling
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the Choux Pastry Dough: Heat water, butter, salt, and sugar together in a saucepan over medium heat until it reaches a boil and the butter is completely melted. Remove from heat and immediately stir in the all-purpose flour until the dough forms a smooth ball that pulls away from the sides of the pan.
- Incorporate the Eggs: Allow the dough to cool slightly, then add eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each addition until the mixture is glossy, smooth, and falls slowly from your spoon.
- Pipe and Bake the Pastry: Transfer the dough to a piping bag and pipe small rounds onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, ensuring uniform sizes. Bake in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for about 20-25 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Avoid opening the oven door during baking. Cool the shells on a wire rack thoroughly.
- Make the Cream Filling: Whip the heavy cream with sugar and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. Alternatively, prepare pastry cream separately for a richer filling.
- Assemble the Cream Puffs: Once the pastry shells are completely cooled, carefully cut them in half and fill each with the prepared whipped cream or pastry cream. Replace the tops and optionally dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with melted chocolate.
Notes
- Use room-temperature eggs for better dough consistency.
- Do not open the oven door early to prevent collapse.
- Pipe uniform-sized dough rounds for even baking.
- Cool the shells thoroughly to maintain crispness.
- Keep cream fillings chilled before assembly to avoid sogginess.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cream puff
- Calories: 160
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 80mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 0.3g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
Keywords: cream puffs, choux pastry, French dessert, cream filling, vanilla cream, whipped cream