Easy Cream Puffs with Simple Ingredients

Ingredients

• 1 cup water (for choux pastry)
• salt (a pinch, for choux pastry)
• 0.5 cup unsalted butter (chopped into small pieces)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (for choux pastry)
• 3 eggs (large, room temperature; add the last one gradually)
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (for custard)
• 3 tbsp sugar (for custard mixture)
• salt (a pinch, for custard)
• 3 egg yolks (room temperature)
• 2 cup milk (whole milk preferred)
• 1 tsp sugar (to sprinkle at the bottom of the pan to prevent scorching)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (added after cooking custard)
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream (whipped to stiff peaks)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat your oven (typical temperature for choux is 400°F/200°C, though not explicitly stated). In a pot over medium heat, stir together the water and a pinch of salt.

2. 2

   Add the chopped butter to the water and let it melt, stirring occasionally, until the mixture just starts to boil.

3. 3

   Add the flour all at once to the boiling liquid and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until a smooth, thick dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the pot (about 1-2 minutes).

4. 4

   Continue to cook and stir the dough for another 3-5 minutes to evaporate excess moisture until the dough is dense.

5. 5

   Transfer the dough to a new bowl and spread it out. Let it cool for about 5 minutes.

6. 6

   Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition until completely absorbed. Beat the final egg separately and add it gradually until the dough is smooth, shiny, and slightly elastic.

7. 7

   Transfer the dough to a pastry bag or a plastic bag with the corner snipped off. Pipe small rounds (ping pong ball size) onto a baking tray, leaving space between them.

8. 8

   Dampen a fingertip and gently press down any peaks on the piped dough for a smooth shape.

9. 9

   Bake the puffs. Do not open the oven for the first 20 minutes to prevent collapse. Bake until golden and crispy with a hollow center.

10. 10

    To make the custard: In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, and a pinch of salt.

11. 11

    Sprinkle a little sugar at the bottom of a saucepan, then add the milk. Heat over low heat until small bubbles appear at the edges, but do not boil.

12. 12

    Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the warm milk. Stir constantly until the mixture begins to thicken (about 1-2 minutes).

13. 13

    Temper the egg yolks: Slowly pour about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture into the yolks in a thin stream while whisking constantly.

14. 14

    Gradually pour the egg mixture back into the pot with the remaining milk, stirring constantly. Cook on low heat for 5-7 minutes until silky and thick enough to hold a line on the back of a spoon.

15. 15

    Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Pour the custard through a sieve into a chilled container.

16. 16

    Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the custard and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

17. 17

    Whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks. Gently fold the chilled custard into the whipped cream until smooth.

18. 18

    Cut the cooled cream puffs open or poke a hole in the bottom and pipe the cream filling inside. Serve immediately.

Notes

Do not open the oven door during the first 20 minutes of baking or the puffs will collapse. For the best texture, ensure eggs are at room temperature before starting the custard.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• baking
• french
• cream puffs
• pastry
• custard
• choux pastry