This delicious cream puff recipe is fluffy and creamy to the tiniest degree. It’s a cinch to put together and will impress your guests!

THE PERFECT CREAM PUFFS

All bakeries in Japan sell cream puffs, a famous Japanese snack. Puffy and custardy to the extreme.

The popularity of Japanese-style baked goods and pastries seems to be growing.

Puffy outside, hollow in the middle, are the hallmarks of great cream puffs. It’s also very light.

The Japanese variant is stuffed with a smooth, milky-tasting crème pâtissière.

INGREDIENTS FOR PUFFS

• Flour
• Eggs
• Butter

INGREDIENTS FOR CREAM PUFF FILLING

• Caster sugar
• Milk
• Unsalted butter
• Corn starch
• Eggs
• Vanilla extract

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHY DO MY CREAM PUFFS FALL?

• Bake for longer at a reduced temperature if your puffs are falling apart. Due to the greater temperature, puff cakes tumble because they don’t have enough structure to keep them upright. It’s a good idea to leave room between puffs.

HOW LONG DO CREAM PUFFS LAST?

• It can last up to 2 to 3 days.

CAN YOU FREEZE CREAM PUFFS ARE FILLED?

• It is possible to freeze baked shells in an airtight container for up to two months. To avoid sogginess, don’t fill them until they’re frozen.

What is the average number of calories in one serving?

• Each serving of this recipe contains only 616 calories.

With this recipe, what are its complementary dishes?

The following recipes are suitable for a healthy tea party.

• BANANA PANCAKES
• STRAWBERRY CAKE
• BEIGNETS
• BLUEBERRY POUNDCAKE

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 small eggs or 1 cup of eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (113.5 g / 4 oz. / 1/2 cup / 8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
• 1 cup water

CRÈME PÂTISSIÈRE (FILLING) (ADAPTED FROM THE LITTLE TEOCHEW)

• 1/2 teaspoon unsalted butter for additional shine and firmness
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 drop vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup (55 g) caster sugar
• 1 cup (236 ml) milk
• 1 pinch salt, only if not adding butter or using unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Instructions

1. On low heat, combine the butter and water in a saucepan. Once the butter has melted, turn off the heat.
2. Add the flour and the salt. Slowly but surely, mix until a dough forms that isn’t stuck to the pan. Allow cooking for 1-2 minutes to help reduce the amount of liquid in the dish.
3. Leave it cool for about 10 minutes in a new container before using. Use a low-speed electric mixer to add the eggs one at a time until the mixture is well-combined and sticky in texture.
4. Once the dough has been scooped into a plastic bag with one of the corners snipped off, push the dough toward the snipped-off corner. A piping bag is another option. Pipe the dough onto a greased baking sheet by squeezing and piping it. Make a slight coil shape when pipping the dough by turning the dough clockwise. Each pastry should have some breathing room.
5. Bake for about 10 minutes at the temperature of 425°F (218°C) in a preheated oven or until they’re browned and crispy. Serve hot, straight from the oven.

Crème Pâtissière (Filling)

1. In a big bowl, combine all filling ingredients and mix well.
2. In a saucepan, bring the remaining 3/4 cup milk to a boil. Mixing the heated milk with a balloon whisk, pour it into the egg mixture in little streams. Return the mixture to the pot when it has been thoroughly mixed.
3. Take care not to overcook the mixture since this will result in a runny texture. Whisk in the butter when the mix is no longer hot.
4. Scoop it into a piping bag or container once it’s room temperature. Keep it in the fridge until you use it.
5. To prepare the cream puffs, put a small nozzle into a piping bag and pipe the mixture into the molds. Using the nozzle, pipe the crème into the choux pastry.

Notes

• In other cases, the eggs are larger (or “watery”). 1 cup or less is a safe bet if you’re unsure about the size of the eggs. When you’re ready to bake the choux pastry in warmer areas, the pastry dough may be overly “runny” and difficult to shape. Before piping, put them in the fridge for about 10 minutes to cool down a little bit. Aluminum foil can be used for baking; however, the bottom will get scorched. In the absence of baking sheets, I used foil as a substitute.