Ah, cream puffs! Light, airy, and filled with luscious cream—they’re a classic French pastry that looks fancy but is surprisingly approachable. Here’s a reliable step-by-step recipe:
Ingredients (makes about 12–15 cream puffs)
For the choux pastry (puffs):
- 1 cup (240 ml) water
- ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter
- 1 tsp sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
For the filling (pastry cream or whipped cream):
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Optional topping:
- Powdered sugar for dusting
- Chocolate ganache (melted chocolate + a little cream)
Instructions
1. Make the choux pastry:
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium saucepan, combine water, butter, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil.
- Remove from heat and stir in flour all at once. Return to heat and cook, stirring constantly, for 1–2 minutes until the mixture forms a smooth ball and pulls away from the pan.
- Transfer to a bowl and let cool for 3–5 minutes.
- Beat in eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next. The dough should be smooth, glossy, and pipeable.
2. Shape and bake:
- Use a spoon or piping bag to drop or pipe mounds (about 1–2 inches wide) onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 10 minutes at 425°F (220°C), then reduce temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake for another 20–25 minutes until puffed and golden.
- Do not open the oven during baking, or they may collapse.
- Remove and cool completely on a wire rack.
3. Make the filling:
- Whip heavy cream with sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form (or use pastry cream if you prefer).
4. Assemble cream puffs:
- Slice each puff in half horizontally or make a small hole in the bottom.
- Fill with whipped cream or pastry cream using a spoon or piping bag.
- Optional: Dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with chocolate ganache.
These are light, airy, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious.
If you want, I can also give you a super quick “no-bake” cream puff alternative that uses pre-made puff pastry—it’s way faster but still impressive.
Do you want that version too?
