Here’s a simple and classic way to make famous cream puffs with Mom’s celebrated filling—light, fluffy, and creamy!
Ingredients
For the choux pastry (puffs):
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 tsp sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
For Mom’s celebrated filling (pastry cream):
- 2 cups milk
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
Instructions
1. Make the choux pastry
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- In a saucepan, bring water, butter, sugar, and salt to a boil.
- Remove from heat, add flour all at once, and stir until a smooth ball forms.
- Let it cool slightly, then beat in eggs one at a time until smooth and glossy.
- Pipe or spoon small mounds onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake 20–25 minutes until puffed and golden. Cool completely.
2. Make the filling
- In a saucepan, heat milk until just boiling.
- In a bowl, whisk sugar, flour, and egg yolks until smooth.
- Slowly pour hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly.
- Return to saucepan and cook over medium heat until thickened.
- Remove from heat, stir in butter and vanilla. Let cool.
3. Assemble cream puffs
- Cut a small slit in each puff.
- Fill with pastry cream using a piping bag or spoon.
- Optional: Dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with chocolate.
💡 Tips:
- Make the cream the day before for best flavor.
- Choux pastry can be frozen unfilled and baked later.
- Add a little liqueur or zest to the cream for a personal twist.
If you want, I can also share a super quick “mini cream puffs” version that takes under 30 minutes—perfect for a snack or party tray.
Do you want me to do that?
