Homemade Cream Puffs, also known as profiteroles or choux à la crème, is one irresistible French dessert made from choux pastry and usually filled with pastry cream and garnished on top with chocolate, caramel or powdered sugar. It is incredible how this recipe resists for centuries and is served all over the world.
Choux pastry is very easy to prepare, and while baking it forms largely hollow puffs. Fill it with your favorite filling and it will definitely impress your guests.
These homemade cream puffs are delicious, creamy, not too sweet just perfect to end up a good lunch or dinner.
How to make cream puffs
Prepare the choux pastry by heating water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt in a heavy saucepan until the butter melts. Remove from heat, add flour, and mix until well blended. Return to low heat and cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pan and some dough sticks to the bottom.
Allow the mixture to cool slightly, then gradually add the whole eggs one by one, mixing well after each addition.
To bake the cream puffs, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Drop 1 tablespoon of batter onto a slightly greased baking tray, leaving space between each.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack.
How to prepare the vanilla pastry cream
For the vanilla pastry cream, simmer milk in a medium saucepan. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks with sugar and salt until well combined. Add flour and cornstarch, mixing thoroughly.
Gradually pour the hot milk into the egg mixture, then return everything to the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
Transfer the pastry cream to a clean bowl, cover with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool to room temperature.
How to assemble the cream puffs
To assemble, split the cream puffs in half and fill them with the vanilla pastry cream. Optionally, add whipped cream and slices of strawberries.
Melt chocolate with butter and drizzle over the filled cream puffs for a delightful finish.
Hope you will try them out and enjoy these decadent treats! If you do, make sure to share the photos with me on Instagram.
For more French treats check our full collection of French Recipes.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:
Chocolate Cream Puffs
Vanilla Eclairs
Crispy Cream Puffs
Homemade Cream Puffs
Ingredients
Choux Pastry
- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
- 3.5 oz (100ml) milk
- 3.5 oz (100ml) water
- 2 tsp (10g) sugar
- 1/2 tsp (2g) salt
- 5 ½ tbsp (80g) unsalted butter
- 4 eggs
Vanilla Pastry Cream
- 2 cups (480ml) milk
- 2/3 cup (135g) sugar
- 1/4 cup (30g) cornstarch
- 1 tbsp (10g) flour
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 tsp (10g) vanilla extract
Garnish
- 3.5 oz (100g) semisweet chocolate
- 1 tbsp butter
Instructions
Prepare the choux pastry.
- In a heavy saucepan heat up water with milk, butter, sugar and salt until butter is melted.
- Remove the pan from heat, add flour and mix until well blended.
- Return the saucepan over low heat and while stirring cook for 1 minute or two to pull out the moisture from the batter and until it pulls away from the sides of the pan. You will see some of the dough sticks to the bottom of the pan.
- Wait until the composition is slightly cooled then add one by one the 4 whole eggs.
How to bake the cream puffs.
- Preheat the oven at 350F (180C). Place 1 tbsp of batter with distance between them on a slightly greased baking tray.
- Bake for about 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Let them cool completely.
Prepare the vanilla pastry cream.
- Place milk in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer.
- Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks with sugar and salt until well combined. Add flour and cornstarch and mix to combine.
- Gradually add milk to the egg mixture and return to heat. Cook, stirring constantly until it boils and thickens.
- Remove from heat and add vanilla extract.
- Pour the cream into a clean bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and press it directly onto the pastry cream's surface to prevent skin from forming. Let cool to room temperature.
- Split the cream puffs in half and fill them with cream and optional with whipping cream and strawberry slices.
- Melt the chocolate with butter and sprinkle on top of the cream puffs.
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @homecookingadventure on Instagram and hashtag it #homecookingadventure.
DELISH
Mix the whole composition by hand or in the mixer?
I mixed by hand but you can use the mixer if you want to.
Hi Ella, I have noticed that, most of the time, you use your hand to make your recipes. Good, less stuff to wash. Greeetings.
and cheese!
hey look like a great recipe! will try. just making sure 2 egg whites in the cream?
yes.. to create a light cream and airy.. you can also try recent recipes I've posted for eclairs of chocolate cream puffs:) Let me know if you enjoyed them