Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Chilling Time: 2 hours (minimum)
Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Yield: 18-20 medium cream puffs
Skill Level: Intermediate
Choux Pastry: Medium Intensity – Requires attention to dough consistency.
Pastry Cream: Medium Intensity – Requires careful tempering of eggs to avoid scrambling.
Equipment Needed: Medium saucepan, wooden spoon, electric mixer or stand mixer, baking sheets, parchment paper, piping bag with large round tip, medium bowl for ice bath, whisk, silicone spatula.
Ingredients
For the Choux Pastry (Pasta Choux):
1 cup (240ml) water
½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour, sifted
4 large eggs, at room temperature
For the Italian Custard Filling (Crema Pasticcera):
2 cups (480ml) whole milk
1 vanilla bean (split and seeds scraped) or 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
6 large egg yolks
⅔ cup (135g) granulated sugar
⅓ cup (40g) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
For the Topping (Optional):
Powdered sugar for dusting
OR ½ cup (100g) dark chocolate, melted, for drizzling
Instructions
Part 1: Make the Italian Pastry Cream (Do this first—it needs to chill)
Time: 20 minutes active, 2+ hours chilling | Intensity: Medium
Heat Milk: In a medium saucepan, combine the milk and the scraped vanilla bean seeds (and pod) or vanilla extract. Heat over medium until it just begins to simmer. Remove from heat, cover, and let infuse for 10 minutes. Remove the vanilla pod if used.
Whisk Yolks & Sugar: In a separate bowl, vigorously whisk the egg yolks and sugar until pale and slightly thickened, about 2-3 minutes.
Add Dry Ingredients: Sift in the flour, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk vigorously until a very thick, smooth paste forms.
Temper Eggs: While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle about ½ cup of the hot milk into the egg mixture to gently warm it. Then, slowly pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk, whisking constantly.
Cook to Thicken: Return the saucepan to medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly and scraping the bottom and corners, until the mixture thickens into a very thick, pudding-like consistency and large bubbles break the surface for about 1 minute. This ensures the flour is cooked.
Finish & Chill: Remove from heat. Whisk in the softened butter until fully incorporated and the cream is smooth. Immediately pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to ensure perfect silkiness. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or until completely cold and set.
Part 2: Make the Choux Pastry Puffs
Time: 25 minutes active, 30-35 minutes baking | Intensity: Medium
Preheat & Prep: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Boil Liquid: In a medium saucepan, combine the water, butter, sugar, and salt. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, ensuring the butter is fully melted.
Add Flour: Reduce heat to low. Add the sifted flour all at once. Immediately stir vigorously with a wooden spoon. The mixture will form a ball and leave a thin film on the bottom of the pan. Continue cooking and stirring for 1-2 more minutes to dry the dough out slightly. Transfer dough to a mixing bowl. Let cool for 5 minutes.
Add Eggs: Using an electric mixer on medium-low, add the eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition until fully incorporated before adding the next. The dough will look slippery at first but will become smooth, thick, and glossy. It should fall slowly from the beaters or a spoon when lifted, forming a “V” shape.
Pipe Puffs: Fit a piping bag with a large round tip (½-inch / 1.25cm). Fill with the choux dough. Pipe 1.5-inch (4cm) mounds onto the prepared sheets, leaving 2 inches between them. Smooth any pointed peaks with a wet finger.
Bake: Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 10 minutes, then without opening the oven, reduce temperature to 350°F (175°C). Bake for an additional 20-25 minutes, or until puffs are deeply golden brown, firm, and sound hollow when tapped. Do not open the oven early, or they may collapse.
Cool: Turn off the oven. Poke each puff with a toothpick or the tip of a knife to release steam. Leave them in the cracked-open oven for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Part 3: Assemble the Cream Puffs
Time: 15 minutes | Intensity: Low
Prepare Filling: Give the chilled pastry cream a vigorous whisk or a quick beat with a mixer until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip or a bismarck tip (long, narrow tip for filling).
Fill Puffs: Insert the piping tip into the hole you made for steam (or make a small hole in the bottom of each puff). Gently squeeze the bag to fill the puff until it feels heavy and the cream just begins to peek out.
Finish: Dust the filled cream puffs generously with powdered sugar or drizzle with melted dark chocolate.
Serve Immediately for the best texture contrast, or refrigerate for up to 4 hours before serving.
Nutrition Information (Per Cream Puff, approximately)
Calories: ~185 kcal
Total Fat: 11g
Saturated Fat: 6.5g
Cholesterol: 115mg
Sodium: 65mg
Total Carbohydrates: 18g
Dietary Fiber: 0.3g
Sugars: 10g
Protein: 4g