Description
Heavenly French strawberry cream puffs combine delicate choux pastry with luscious cream and fresh strawberries. Sweet, airy pastries promise a delightful escape into French culinary artistry that will make you swoon with each delicate bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients (Choux Pastry):
- 65 g (2.3 ounces) unsalted butter
- 40 ml (1.35 fluid ounces) water
- 45 ml (1.52 fluid ounces) milk
- 70 g (2.5 ounces) cake flour
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 g (0.035 ounces) salt
Cream Filling:
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) heavy whipping cream, chilled
- 2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Fruit Topping:
- ½ cup strawberries, stems removed and sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C), ensuring the rack is positioned in the center.
- In a medium saucepan, combine whole milk, water, unsalted butter, and salt, bringing the mixture to a rolling boil over medium heat.
- Remove the saucepan from heat and swiftly sift all-purpose flour into the liquid, stirring vigorously to create a cohesive paste.
- Return the saucepan to low heat, continuously stirring the dough until a thin film develops on the bottom of the pan, indicating the moisture has evaporated.
- Transfer the hot dough to a clean mixing bowl and allow it to cool for approximately 3-4 minutes, preventing the eggs from scrambling.
- Incorporate eggs one at a time, thoroughly mixing after each addition until the batter becomes smooth and glossy.
- Prepare a piping bag with a large round tip and carefully pipe 2-inch (5 centimeters) uniform mounds onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Lightly mist the piped dough with water and gently smooth any pointed peaks using a moistened fingertip.
- Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven, bake for 10 minutes at 400°F (204°C), then reduce temperature to 350°F (177°C) and continue baking for an additional 20 minutes until golden brown.
- Remove from oven and transfer pastry shells to a wire cooling rack, allowing them to cool completely.
- In a chilled mixing bowl, whip heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, and pure vanilla extract until medium-stiff peaks form.
- Carefully slice the cooled pastry shells horizontally using a serrated knife.
- Fill each pastry shell generously with the prepared whipped cream using a piping bag or spoon.
- Arrange fresh strawberry slices artfully on top of the whipped cream.
- Dust the assembled cream puffs with a delicate layer of powdered sugar just before serving.
Notes
- Master the choux pastry technique by ensuring each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next, creating a smooth, glossy batter that pipes perfectly.
- Achieve crisp, hollow puffs by baking at high initial temperature and then lowering heat, which helps create steam and rise.
- Use fresh, ripe strawberries for maximum flavor and slice them thinly to distribute evenly throughout the whipped cream filling.
- Chill your mixing bowl and whisk before whipping cream to help it reach medium peaks faster and maintain stability.
- Serve these cream puffs immediately after filling to prevent the pastry from becoming soggy and losing its delightful crunch.
- Store any leftover cream puffs in the refrigerator and consume within 24 hours for the best taste and texture.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 80 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg