Happy Mother’s Day! I’ve been trying to hold back for quite some time now, but I guess it’s finally time to share our good news 🙂 We’re having a little boy this September!!! I’m sure that those of you who are frequent readers probably thought something was up. I have been busy with work and other projects, but I’ve also been lacking a sweet tooth lately. Crazy, huh?!
This pregnancy has been really good to me so far- no morning sickness! That has been a huge blessing, especially because I work in a kitchen most of the time. I haven’t had any weird cravings yet and I feel as good as I did before, just with a little person kicking, punching and tumbling in my tummy. It’s been fun to feel him move- and yesterday Stephen felt his kicks for the first time, it was the perfect Mother’s Day gift!
Anyway, I thought I’d share these homemade cream puffs with you today. They’re easy to make and they look really elegant! I filled mine with homemade whipped cream and lightly dusted them with powdered sugar. I love how light they are- you could definitely eat a few of these in one sitting, and let me tell you, I did! I think they’d be great with a drizzle of chocolate on top or even filled with some lemon curd! Enjoy!
Mini Cream Puffs Recipe
Mini Cream Puffs are crisp, lightly sweet, and filled with whipped cream that keeps them balanced and light—ideal for making ahead and serving straight from the fridge.
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Servings: 22 -28 cream puffs
Calories: 154kcal
Ingredients
Pâte â Choux
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 egg - lightly beaten
Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
- pinch of salt
- powdered sugar - for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set it aside.
- To make the pâte â choux, place a medium-sized saucepan over low heat. Add butter, sugar, water, and salt, stirring frequently. Turn the heat up to a low boil, remove from the heat, and add in flour. Stir vigorously until the mixture forms a thick paste and no flour pockets remain. Place over medium heat and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning (A thin film may form on the bottom of the pan — that’s okay).
- Place the hot paste into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes until it becomes slightly cooler. Then add the eggs one at a time until incorporated. The mixture will look shiny and will stick to the sides of the bowl. Beat for an additional 2 minutes on medium. Scoop pastry dough into a large piping bag fitted with a large tip (around a ½ inch in diameter). Pipe 1½ inch circles onto the prepared baking sheet (about ¾ inch tall), spacing each two inches apart to reduce the risk of them baking into each other. Gently brush a light layer of beaten egg over each, try not to allow any of the wash to drip onto the parchment (If this happens, wipe it up so the cream puffs don’t stick).
- Place the pan in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, open the oven, rotate the pan and reduce the heat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius), bake for an additional 20 minutes. Reduce oven heat to 300 degrees Fahrenheit (150 degrees Celsius) and bake for 20 minutes to allow the pastry shells to dry out. That makes a total of 60 minutes or 1 hour at three separate temperatures. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, to make the whipped cream, in a chilled bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine powdered sugar, heavy cream, vanilla bean paste, and salt. Beat on medium-high until the cream becomes stiff, about 1–2 minutes. Place in the refrigerator to keep cold until needed.
- When the pastry shells have cooled, slice the top off of each one. Place the chilled whipped cream into a large piping bag fitted with a large round tip, pipe and fill each bottom. Place the top on each one, then lightly dust with powdered sugar. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for 1 day.
NOTES
-You can add a chocolate drizzle to the tops of these or spoon a little inside on top of the cream.
After filling, store your homemade cream puffs on a wire rack to keep the shells crisp. To prevent them from getting soggy, wrap them in plastic wrap and STORE them in the fridge for up to 1 day. If you’ve made extra batter, you can refrigerate or freeze the remaining dough for later use.
Freezing the unfilled shells works well—place them in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container for up to 2 months. When ready to use, thaw at room temperature and RE-CRISP in a 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) oven for 5–8 minutes. Avoid freezing filled cream puffs, as the texture of the whipped cream changes.
Nutrition
Calories: 154kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 81mg | Potassium: 43mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 505IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 0.5mg
Recipe source: adapted from The Art and Soul of Baking, by Cindy Mushet
The cream puffs were absolutely divine! I have to mention how stunning this pastry cream is. It’s become a staple in my kitchen, and I’ve used it in several other desserts. I regret not posting this sooner. I really appreciate you sharing such an amazing recipe! 😊
Looks Delicious ! Can you buy vanilla bean paste right in the grocery store ?
Most grocery stores don’t carry it, I’ve found it at restaurant supply stores and specialty stores like Sur La Table and Williams Sonoma. They might however carry vanilla beans, which can be substituted or even just plain vanilla. Hope that helps!
what is vanilla bean paste
Vanilla bean paste is made by infusing vanilla beans into a thick, syrup made with sugar, water and a thickener. Vanilla beans are scraped into the paste which leaves behind all of those pretty little specks of bean and helps to enhance the flavor. You can find it a Williams-Sonoma, Sur La Table, etc. My favorite brand is Nielsen-Massey 🙂