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Hi Bold Bakers!
Cream puffs are one of my favorite pastries because they’re soft, tasty containers for other delicious things like fresh cream and chocolate. This week I’ll show you how to make choux pastry, which requires cooking on the stove then baking in the oven. Then you’ll see 3 different varieties of Cream Puffs that will make you the ultimate fan.
Watch The Recipe Video!
Homemade Cream Puffs
Ingredients
- 1 cup hot water
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 tsp. salt (reduce to 1/4 tsp.if using salted butter)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs , whisked together
- Garnish
- Icing (confectioners) sugar
- Whipped cream
- Chocolate ganache
- Chocolate Ganache (Sauce)
- 8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (I like 72 perfect chocolate)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Additional Ideas
- Salted Caramel
- Strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425° F. with rack in centre of oven, and prepare a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine hot water, butter, and salt.
- Bring to a boil. Add flour all at once and whisk vigourously and constantly to get out any lumps.
- Using a wooden spoon, cook until mixture clears the sides of the pan and forms a ball around your spoon in the middle, as you stir (2-3 minutes).
- Remove from heat. Add a little whisked egg and stir quickly and vigourously using a wooden spoon, until the egg is combined (it will start out as a slimy mess, but just keep stirring and it will come together). Repeat adding egg. Once all eggs are added, stir a bit more until smooth and shiny.
- Add batter to piping bag fitted with a large round nozzle (alternately, drop balls of batter onto prepared pans and roughly shape with the back of a spoon). Pipe batter onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper, leaving about 2 inches between each one. Mine were 1 ½ inches wide.
- Wet your finger and push down any peaks that are on the puffs so this doesn't burn while cooking. Sprinkle drops of water on your tray also to create steam in the oven, this helps the puffs rise and grow.
- Bake for 15 minutes at 425°, then reduce heat to 350° F. and cook for about another 10-15 minutes. Do not open oven while they're cooking.
- The cream puffs should be golden brown all over and hollow-sounding when tapped. If they are pale in color they can sink and loose shape so make sure to bake for longer to get that color.
- Remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Fill with freshly whipped cream and serve with chocolate ganache or sprinkle generously with icing sugar. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 6 hours. If you are not ready to serve then store the puffs for 24 hours in an airtight container or freeze.
Hi Gemma,
what is the difference between using milk and water ?
Thanks! Luv lots
Could I make a double batch of these at once, simply doubling the ingredients, or should I do one batch at a time?
Hi Gemma,
Instead Of Freshly Whipped Cream, Can I Use Store Bought Whipped Cream Or Do I Have To Whip Cream.
Here Are The Pictures For The Store Bought Whipped Cream: https://www.google.com/search?q=whipped+cream&tbm=isch&chips=q:whipped+cream,g_1:can:hrVqRF9FAZw%3D&rlz=1C1CAFA_enCA640CA640&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjwsaDXuLnrAhU4AzQIHcczAZ4Q4lYoAHoECAEQFQ&biw=1349&bih=625
Hi Gemma
For how long can i freeze the choux after baking , without the filling ????
Dressed it up a bit
Cooked my first choux pastry today, partly thanks to this video but a lot of other input from other sources as unfortunately you may be from Ireland but gone full American with measurements etc. Great help though thank you.
I’m a very fussy eater so scanning all sources for ingredients I do like and maybe put my own twist on recipes which unfortunately others may find rather odd.
Hi Gemma, can I just put ice cubes in bottom of oven for steam?
Hi Gemma,
My mom would like to try this recipe. Can she use a hand held beater to make these as she is not very strong? If so, should she use a low setting?
Thanks,
Josephine
Hi Gemma,
The air in my puffs is escaping out as soon as i take out the puffs from the oven i cant identify my mistake they are not becoming fluffy like your puffs. Pls help me out