Homemade 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.