Cream Puffs
Choux pastry filled with vanilla pastry cream and topped with chocolate ganache. I found the original recipe at An Edible Mosaic.
Servings 32 cream puffs
Calories 159kcal
Ingredients
Vanilla Pastry Cream
- 1 egg
- 4 egg yolks
- 3 cups whole milk
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 Tbsp vanilla
- 1 cup heavy cream
Choux Pastry
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 2 tsps sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour sifted
- 4- 5 eggs
- egg wash
Chocolate Ganache
- 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate chopped
- 2 Tbsps unsalted butter
- 1-2 Tbsps milk
Instructions
Vanilla Pastry Cream
- Whisk together the egg and egg yolks in a medium or large bowl and set aside. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the milk, sugar, flour, and salt. Place on a medium, whisking regularly.
- Bring the milk mixture to a bare simmer, then remove from the heat. Whisk a small ladle of the hot milk into the eggs. Gradually whisk the hot milk into the eggs one ladle at a time. Keep the eggs moving constantly to prevent them from cooking and becoming lumpy. Whisk well between additions.
- Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and place back on medium heat. Bring it to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. Stir constantly the entire time.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla. Stir until the butter is completely melted. Pour the custard through a sieve into a bowl. Immediately press cling wrap onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
- Allow the custard to come to room temperature before placing in the fridge to chill for at least an hour. It's best to make this the night or morning before you need it.
- When you are ready to fill the puffs, beat the chilled custard for a minute to loosen it up. Then, whip the heavy cream in a chilled stand mixer bowl until thick and fluffy. Gently fold the whipped cream into the custard in three batches. The vanilla pastry cream is ready to pipe!
Choux Pastry
- Preheat the oven to 400℉ and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter with the water, sugar, and salt. Once melted, bring the mixture to a boil.
- Remove from the heat and add all of the flour. Stir until combined, then place the saucepan back on a low- medium heat.
- Cook the dough for 1- 2 minutes to evaporate some of the water in the dough. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir and press the dough around. It's done when you see oil beading on the surface of your pan (non-stick) or a film forms on the side (stainless steel).
- Place the dough into the bowl of your stand mixer. Press it evenly along the bottom and a bit up the sides so that it can cool down. Allow the dough to cool for 5- 7 minutes.
- Add and egg and beat on low until combined. Repeat with the next two eggs as well. Crack the remaining two eggs into a cup and mix with a spoon. Add this egg mixture a bit at a time, combining between additions, until you reach the right consistency. The choux pastry dough should be smooth, glossy, and form a V off the end of your spatula when you lift it up. It's best to have dough that is took thick than too thin.
- Fill a piping bag fitted with a wide round tip with the choux pastry dough. Pipe mounds two inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets. Dip your finger into water and pat down any peaks. Brush the tops with an egg wash.
- Gently sprinkle some water over the baking sheets. This will create steam and help them puff up.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Drop the temperature to 350℉ and bake for another 5- 10 minutes, or until the puffs are golden brown. Watch them closely!
- Immediately take the puffs out and pierce the sides with a sharp knife, making a small X. Place them back on the sheets and back into the oven. Crack the oven door. Let them cool in the oven like this for 10 minutes before removing the baking sheets. This will help prevent them from collapsing.
Chocolate Ganache
- Place the butter and chocolate into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 10- 30 second bursts until melty, but still lumpy. Stir until smooth.
- Stir in milk until you reach desired consistency.
Cream Puff Assembly
- Fill a piping bag fitted with a small tip and fill with the pastry cream. Insert the tip into the X you made in the side of the puff. Gently fill with the pastry cream. A bit will ooze out.
- Spoon the ganache on top or dip the cream puffs in, shaking off the excess.
Notes
- Don't add the whipped cream to the custard until you are ready to fill the puffs.
- Once filled, these will not keep for long. They will still taste fine after a night in the fridge, but the choux pastry will lose the light crispiness.