Invite your taste buds on a French journey with these soft and airy cream puffs. This recipe demystifies the process of making classic Pate a Choux and Chantilly cream, allowing anyone to create these delicate treats at home.
Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2
In a medium saucepan, combine the water, unsalted butter, and salt and bring the mixture to a rolling boil.
3
Remove the saucepan from the heat and promptly stir in the sifted all-purpose flour. Beat the mixture vigorously with a wooden spoon until it forms a thick dough.
4
Return the saucepan back to medium heat. Continue to stir the dough for about a minute or until it turns glossy and pulls away cleanly from the sides of the pan.
5
Transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl and let it cool for 5 minutes.
6
Add the eggs one at a time to the dough, fully incorporating each egg before adding the next.
7
Using a piping bag fitted with a 1/2 inch plain tip, pipe dollops of the dough onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. The dollops should be about 2 inches apart.
8
Bake the cream puffs in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
9
Without removing the cream puffs, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees, leave the door ajar with a wooden spoon, and bake for another 15 minutes or until they are golden brown.
10
Allow the cream puffs to cool completely at room temperature.
CHANTILLY CREAM
11
In a chilled mixing bowl, combine the heavy cream and pure vanilla extract.
12
Beat the cream mixture until it becomes foamy then gradually add the sugar.
13
Continue beating the cream until soft peaks form.
14
Using a serrated knife, cut the upper third of each cooled cream puff shell.
15
Fill a clean piping bag fitted with a large star tip with the prepared Chantilly cream and fill each cream puff shell.
16
Replace the cut portion back onto the filled cream puffs and dust them lightly with powdered sugar before serving.