Learn how to make these simple, elegant Cream Puffs with vanilla and chocolate custard filling, decorated with melted dark and white chocolate.
Cream puffs or Choux pastries decorate with chocolate are a very easy dessert, but they are also so pretty! Choux pastry or pâte à choux (French) it can also be used to make other pastries like profiteroles and eclairs.
How to – Cream/ Choux Puffs:
Start by heating some of the ingredients on the stove in a medium – sizes saucepan on medium heat: The water, the milk, butter, sugar, salt. Dump in the flour and stir energetically with a wooden spoon/fork. Don’t worry about lumps. Continue cooking and stirring until the mixture comes together in a thick ball of dough and comes away from the sides of the pan. Not more then 2-3 min.
Move it to a bowl and stir in the egg into the mixture, one at a time, until the egg is fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth before adding the next egg. As you add each egg, the mixture will look like it has curdled, but keep stirring the mixture until it comes together. When the pastry is thick and smooth the choux pastry is ready.
Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
Lightly brush the parchment paper with water, which creates a humid environment for the pastry shells allowing them to puff up without drying out or burning. Pipe mounds of dough onto a baking sheet covered in parchment paper, spacing them a couple of inches apart and smooth down the peaks using a water moistened finger, and brush each with egg yolk.
For bushing the Choux buns:
1 egg yolk
water (few drops)
Bake for 20 minutes then, keeping the pastries in the oven, reduce oven to 350°F (177°C) and continue to bake for 10-15 more minutes until golden brown. Do not open the oven as the pastries cook, as cool air will prevent them from properly puffing up. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Allow it to cool completely before filling.
How to – Chocolate Pastry Cream:
In a medium saucepan, bring the milk and vanilla to a simmer; in a bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, salt, and cornstarch. When the milk is almost boiling whisk while adding ⅓ into the egg mixture to temperate and liquefy the batter. Then whisk the egg-milk mixture into the saucepan. Cook the pastry cream over low heat, whisking constantly, until thick, it takes about ⅔ minutes. Off the heat, transfer to a bowl whisk in the dark chocolate until melted. Stir for a few minutes to hasten the cooling and refrigerate in a piping bag for about 1 hour before using it.
How to – Vanilla Pastry Cream:
In a medium saucepan, bring the milk, the heavy cream, and vanilla flavoring to a simmer;
Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk fast the egg yolks and sugar then add the cornstarch. When the milk is almost boiling whisk while adding ⅓ into the egg mixture to temperate and liquefy the batter. Then whisk the egg-milk mixture into the saucepan. Cook the pastry cream over low heat, whisking constantly, until thick, it takes about 2 minutes. Off the heat, transfer to a bowl and stir for a few minutes to hasten the cooling. Refrigerate in a piping bag for about 1 hour before using it.
Cream Puffs
Cream puffs or Choux pastries decorate with chocolate are a very easy dessert, but they are also so pretty! Choux pastry or pâte à choux (French) it can also be used to make other pastries like profiteroles and eclairs.
Ingredients
Choux Pastry Dough:
- 240 g Eggs (4 eggs)
- 140 g / 1 Cup Plain flour
- 125 g / ½ Cup Water
- 125 / ½ Cup Milk
- 110 g / ½ Cup Unsalted Butter
- 5 g / 1 tsp Salt
- 16 g / 1 tbsp + 1 tsp Sugar
Chocolate Pastry Cream:
- 100 g / ⅔ cup of Chopped Dark chocolate (minimum cacao 55%)
- 75 g Egg yolks (4 eggs)
- 5 g / 1 tsp of Vanilla powder/Sugar
- 500 ml / 2 cups of Milk
- 100 g / 1 cup of Granulated Sugar
- 45 g / 3 tbsp of Cornstarch
- A pinch of Salt
Vanilla Pastry Cream:
- 75 g Egg yolks (4 eggs)
- 2 Vanilla Beans or 1 tsp Vanilla powder/sugar
- 400 ml / 1 ¾ cup of Milk
- 100 ml / ½ cup of Heavy cream
- 100 g / 1 cup of Granulated Sugar
- 45 g / 3 tbsp of Cornstarch
Instructions
How to - Cream/Choux Puffs:
Start by heating some of the ingredients on the stove in a medium - sizes saucepan on medium heat: The water, the milk, butter, sugar, salt. Dump in the flour and stir energetically with a wooden spoon/fork. Don't worry about lumps. Continue cooking and stirring until the mixture comes together in a thick ball of dough and comes away from the sides of the pan. Not more then 2-3 min.
Move it to a bowl and stir in the egg into the mixture, one at a time, until the egg is fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth before adding the next egg. As you add each egg, the mixture will look like it has curdled, but keep stirring the mixture until it comes together. When the pastry is thick and smooth the choux pastry is ready.
Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
Lightly brush the parchment paper with water, which creates a humid environment for the pastry shells allowing them to puff up without drying out or burning. Pipe mounds of dough onto a baking sheet covered in parchment paper, spacing them a couple of inches apart and smooth down the peaks using a water moistened finger, and brush each with egg yolk.
Bake for 20 minutes then, keeping the pastries in the oven, reduce oven to 350°F (177°C) and continue to bake for 10-15 more minutes until golden brown. Do not open the oven as the pastries cook, as cool air will prevent them from properly puffing up. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Allow it to cool completely before filling.
How to - Chocolate Pastry Cream:
In a medium saucepan, bring the milk and vanilla to a simmer; in a bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, salt, and cornstarch. When the milk is almost boiling whisk while adding ⅓ into the egg mixture to temperate and liquefy the batter. Then whisk the egg-milk mixture into the saucepan. Cook the pastry cream over low heat, whisking constantly, until thick, it takes about ⅔ minutes. Off the heat, transfer to a bowl whisk in the dark chocolate until melted. Stir for a few minutes to hasten the cooling and refrigerate in a piping bag for about 1 hour before using it.
How to - Vanilla Pastry Cream:
In a medium saucepan, bring the milk, the heavy cream, and vanilla flavoring to a simmer; Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk fast the egg yolks and sugar then add the cornstarch. When the milk is almost boiling whisk while adding ⅓ into the egg mixture to temperate and liquefy the batter. Then whisk the egg-milk mixture into the saucepan. Cook the pastry cream over low heat, whisking constantly, until thick, it takes about 2 minutes. Off the heat, transfer to a bowl and stir for a few minutes to hasten the cooling. Refrigerate in a piping bag for about 1 hour before using it.
Notes
These Cream Puffs with custard filling might seem hard but the truth is the Choux pastry dough is easier than you think.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 55 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 387Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 99mgSodium: 353mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 0gSugar: 9gProtein: 21g
Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.
These Cream Puffs with custard filling might seem hard but the truth is the Choux pastry dough is easier than you think.
Leave a Reply