This handmade cream puff recipe looks spectacular but just only six basic ingredients to prepare it! Perfect for birthday parties, bridal showers, and other events.
A delicate pastry dough filled with sweetened whipped cream or pastry cream makes up the traditional French treat known as a cream puff. Choux pastry, sometimes referred to as pâte à choux, is used to make cream puff shells. It is a pastry dough that may be used to produce various delicacies, such eclairs, and is made from water, butter, flour, and eggs.
Although they have a very stunning appearance, cream puffs are actually rather simple to create as long as you take the appropriate precautions.
Since many people find creating a cream puff recipe intimidating, I’ll go over the ingredients needed to produce cream puff shells in today’s post and include step-by-step images of the baking process so you can see precisely what to expect.
INGREDIENTS FOR THIS RECIPE
Since there are so few ingredients needed to make cream puffs, it’s crucial to use the appropriate ones. Here is a list of the ingredients in this recipe:
- Water: Water straight from the faucet will work.
- Butter: It is necessary to cut the butter into tablespoon-sized pieces. Since the salt content of salted butter varies between brands, I always use unsalted butter while baking.
- Granulated Sugar: This component is optional, however it gives the cream puff shells a tiny touch of sweetness.
- Eggs: In order for the eggs to effectively combine with the heated dough, they must be at room temperature. If you neglected to warm up your eggs on the counter, soak them for 5 to 10 minutes in a dish of warm water before using them in the recipe.
- Salt: Adds flavor to the dough.
- All-purpose flour: When measuring flour, it’s crucial to level the flour with a spoon. If you use the measuring cup to scoop flour from the bag, the flour will be compacted and you’ll probably measure out too much.
HOW TO MAKE CREAM PUFFS
Make a template for piping the dough before you begin. I like to trace ten 2-inch circles on a sheet of parchment paper using a 2-inch round cookie cutter.
After creating your template, you may begin working with the dough. A big pot should be placed over medium heat with the butter slices, sugar, salt, and water added. Add the flour when the mixture has reached a boil.
For an additional two to three minutes, continue to cook the dough. When it pulls away from the pan’s edges, forms a smooth ball, and leaves a film on the pan’s bottom, it’s ready.
Gather the mixture into a sizable heat-resistant basin, allow it to cool for three minutes, and then combine.
The dough should be transferred into a sizable piping bag with a 1/2 inch circular piping tip. Position the piping bag 12 inch above the parchment paper, perpendicular to it. The cream puffs will rise straight up as a result of this. These shouldn’t be piped at an angle because doing so could make them uneven.
When finished, be sure to twist the tip rather than pulling it straight up (this can leave peaks, which will burn in the oven). You should have between 18 and 20 circles overall.
In order to have enough homemade whipped cream to pipe in the middle of each one, I doubled the recipe. Alternately, you might cut a hole in the side and fill them with pastry cream.
WHAT MAKES THESE DEFLATE?
You might have opened the oven door too soon or underbaked the cream puffs if they deflated in the oven. The fragile pastry dough will deflate if exposed abruptly to lower temperatures.
If your cream puffs simply appear uneven, you probably piped the dough incorrectly. Don’t worry, you should still be able to enjoy them by adding the filling!
STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS
Cream puff shells can be kept for one to two days in the refrigerator or at room temperature in an airtight container. They can be kept in the refrigerator for up to three days after being filled.
BAKING TIPS
Be sure to wait until the dough is totally cooled before adding the filling. The filling will immediately ooze out if you attempt to stuff them while they are still warm. Whipping cream and pastry cream are my two preferred fillings for cream puffs. You can even flavour the filling if you like. Up to two months can pass between preparation and freezing of these cream puffs. This dessert may be prepared ahead of time and is ideal for gatherings because they thaw out so well!
INGREDIENTS
SERVINGS: 20 CREAM PUFFS
- 1 cup (240 ml) water
- ½ cup (115 grams) unsalted butter , sliced into tablespoon sized pieces
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour , spooned & leveled
- 4 large eggs , room temperature
- Egg Wash: 1 large egg plus 1 tablespoon water
INSTRUCTIONS
- Set the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C). Draw 10 2-inch circles on a large piece of parchment paper that is the same size as your baking sheets using a 2-inch cookie cutter, making care to allow some space between each circle (this will be your template for piping the dough). Set aside two sizable baking sheets that have been lined with parchment paper.
- In a big saucepan, mix the water, sugar, salt, and cubed butter. Stirring occasionally, place the saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil.
- Using a wooden spoon, stir in the cup of flour until thoroughly blended. Stir the mixture constantly while keeping it on medium heat until it pulls away from the pan’s sides, forms a smooth dough, and leaves a film on the pan’s bottom (about 2 to 3 minutes).
- Turn off the heat and pour the mixture into a sizable heat-resistant bowl to cool slightly for three minutes.
- Using a wooden spoon or an electric mixer, blend in the eggs one at a time, making sure to fully incorporate each one before moving on to the next. The dough should hold a V-shape on the end of the spoon or beaters until the fourth egg has been fully incorporated.
- Place the dough in a sizable piping bag and attach a round 1-inch pipe tip (I use the Wilton 1A tip).
- On one of the baking sheets you’ve prepared, place the template on top of the parchment paper. The cream puffs will rise straight up if the piping bag is placed perpendicular to the parchment paper and about 12 inch above it. Pipe 2-inch circles with consistent pressure, allowing them to widen and heighten as you go, then swirling the tip once you’re done (do not pull straight up). You should end up with 18 to 20 circles overall if you remove the template from under the parchment paper and repeat the process with the other baking sheet.
- Dip your finger in a little water and gently smooth out any pointed peaks.
- To make the egg wash: In a small mixing bowl, whisk the egg and water together until fully combined. Gently brush the top of each one with the egg wash.
- Bake the cream puffs for 30 to 35 minutes, or until they are golden brown, being careful not to open the oven door throughout the baking process. Once they’re done, turn off the oven, take them out, poke a hole in the side of each with a knife or skewer, and then put them back in with the door cracked open for 10 minutes.
- Take out of the oven and carefully move to a wire rack to finish cooling. Fill with whipped cream, pastry cream, or your preferred filling after it has cooled.
NOTES
Storage Instructions: For one to two days, cream puffs can be kept in the refrigerator or at room temperature in an airtight container. If they have softened, bake them for about five minutes at 300°F (150°C). Prior to filling, let them completely cool.
For two to three days, filled cream puffs can be kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Freezing Instructions: It is possible to freeze cream puffs for up to two months. Reheat in the oven at 300°F (150°C) for 5 to 7 minutes after thawing to room temperature. Before filling, make careful to let them cool fully.
Granulated Sugar: This ingredient is optional, but I prefer to use it because it adds a little sweetness.Eggs: Your eggs must be at room temperature in order for them to fully combine with the dough. If you don’t remember to sit them out beforehand, soak them for 5–10 minutes in a dish of warm water