Description
Special Italian Cream Puffs with Custard Filling are delicate choux pastries filled with rich vanilla custard. Crisp on the outside and silky on the inside, they’re a perfect dessert for celebrations or indulgent treats.
Ingredients
-
- For the pastry (choux dough):
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 4 large eggs
-
- For the custard filling (crema pasticcera):
- 2 cups whole milk
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch (or 1/3 cup all-purpose flour)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or seeds from 1 vanilla bean
- 1 tsp lemon zest (optional)
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter (optional)
- Topping (optional):
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
- Melted chocolate or ganache, for drizzling
- Chopped nuts or sprinkles, for decoration
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a saucepan, bring water, butter, and salt to a boil. Stir in flour all at once and cook, stirring, until dough pulls away from sides and forms a ball.
- Transfer dough to a bowl and let cool for 5 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time until smooth and glossy.
- Pipe or spoon 12–16 mounds onto the baking sheet. Bake for 20–25 minutes until puffed and golden. Cool completely.
- For custard, heat milk (and lemon zest, if using) in a saucepan until just simmering.
- In a bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until smooth. Slowly whisk in hot milk, then return to pot and cook over medium heat, stirring, until thickened.
- Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and butter. Cool completely before using.
- To assemble, slice cream puffs in half or poke a hole in the bottom. Pipe or spoon custard into each shell.
- Dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with melted chocolate before serving.
Notes
- Add espresso, cocoa, or almond extract to the custard for variety.
- Fill with whipped cream or mascarpone for a lighter option.
- Top with caramel glaze or chocolate for a fancier presentation.
- Unfilled shells can be frozen and re-crisped in the oven before filling.
- Best served the same day for optimal texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cream puff
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 80mg
- Fat: 13g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 100mg
