Cream Puffs - Choux à la Crème

Simple and yet a delectable treat,  cream puffs are seen to many as a delicacy. With its soft and fragrant pastry to the smooth and creamy filling,  many know cream puffs as the pinch in your pocket treat in fancy bakeries or "this isn't a cream puff" store-bought grocery variety.  But why buy them when you can make them at home? 

Cream puffs are one of my favorite treats and that is why it is my go to treat whenever I don't know what to bake. I usually get requests from friends and family to make them whenever a special occasion comes up.  From replacements for birthday cakes to treats at a social or family gathering, these cream puffs are are crowd-pleaser.

I've been making these for years and went through a handful of batches before I was satisfy with my recipe.  And because of that fact, I take pride in making them.

I usually make the classic cream puffs with vanilla cream but occasionally I replace the vanilla cream with  a coffee flavor cream or even a chocolate flavor cream. 

Cream Puff Recipe
(makes around 12 Cream Puffs)

Ingredients:

Pastry Dough:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter 
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 eggs

Cream

• 5 egg yolks 
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 tablespoon butter
• 3 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. For the pastry dough, in a medium size pot bring butter and water to a boil.
3. On low heat, add in flour and stir until dough forms a ball with a wooden spoon. (around 1-2 minutes)
4. Remove from heat and continue stirring for another minute or so to cool the dough.  Add in one egg at a time, stirring after each addition making sure that each egg is fully incorporated before the next is added.
5. Either with a spoon or a pastry bag, place dough (around 1/4-1/3 cup size) on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper (around 2 inches apart).  Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown.
6. For the pastry cream, in a pot, combine milk and butter and bring to a simmer on medium heat
7. In a mixing bowl cream together egg yolks and sugar.  Then add in vanilla and flour; whisk until no flour lumps are left.
8. When the milk comes to a simmer, carefully pour half of the milk into the egg yolk mixture.  Stir and pour the egg yolk and milk mixture back into the pot with the remaining half of the milk.
9. On medium heat, cook cream, stir constantly with a whisk, and make sure that it doesn't burn on the bottom. (10-15 minutes)
10. When the cream puff pastries are done baking, transfer them to a wire cooling rack for 15 minutes before you fill each one with cream.