Ingredients
Choux Pastry
- ¼ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup water
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into smaller pieces
- 1½ teaspoons granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup all-purpose flour (fluffed, spooned, and leveled)
- 2 large eggs, beaten
Whipped Cream Filling
- 1¼ cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional Garnish
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven and prepare tools: Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and prepare a piping bag fitted with a large round tip, such as a Wilton 1A tip.
- Make the choux pastry base: In a saucepan, combine milk, water, butter, sugar, and salt. Heat over medium-high, stirring until butter melts and mixture simmers.
- Incorporate flour into hot mixture: Remove saucepan from heat and immediately add all flour at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until a firm dough forms. Return saucepan to low-medium heat and cook dough, stirring vigorously until a thin film forms on the pan’s bottom and dough becomes a smooth ball that no longer sticks.
- Cool dough and add eggs: Remove from heat and continue stirring to cool dough slightly. Once warm (not hot), add beaten eggs in 3-4 additions, thoroughly mixing after each addition until dough is tacky and flows like a thick ribbon, forming a triangular tail when dropped from the spoon. Adjust egg quantity slightly if needed for consistency.
- Pipe dough onto sheet pan: Transfer dough to prepared piping bag. Pipe 2-inch mounds spaced 2-3 inches apart onto parchment-lined sheet. Do not swirl; pipe straight down. Smooth tips with a water-dampened finger to remove air pockets.
- Bake the pastries: Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 15 minutes. Then reduce oven temperature to 350°F (175°C), briefly open oven door to adjust heat, and bake an additional 15 minutes until golden brown. Turn off oven and leave pastries inside with door cracked for 10 minutes. Remove to cool completely at room temperature.
- Prepare whipped cream filling: While pastries cool, combine heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer, whip on medium-low speed until beginning to thicken, then increase to medium-high speed and whip until stiff peaks form. Transfer whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip and refrigerate until ready.
- Assemble cream puffs: Using a serrated knife, slice cooled pastries horizontally. Pipe whipped cream into bottom halves, then replace tops. Dust with powdered sugar if desired before serving.
Notes
- For proper choux pastry texture, do not swirl dough when piping to avoid air pockets that create hollow or uneven pastries.
- Fluff and spoon flour before measuring to prevent dense choux pastry.
- Adjust egg quantity slightly to achieve the correct dough consistency depending on humidity and flour absorption.
- Allow cream puffs to cool completely before filling to ensure whipped cream retains structure and pastries remain crisp.
- Use a serrated knife to slice pastry gently without deflating the delicate shell.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
