My mom was an amazing cook and baker. Whenever she catered a party, she would make cream puffs in the shape of a swan.
The only part we were allowed to have as kids were the insides she removed from the pastry, and the leftover pastry cream in the pot. To this day, that is still my favorite part of making this recipe, although I’ll eat a whole cream puff too! (Joe loves filling a cream puff with ice cream and topping it with hot fudge . . . so if that sounds good, give that a try.)
Makes 12 cream puffs
WHAT YOU NEED
For the batter
1/2 cup (112g) vegetable or canola butter
1 cup (235ml) water
1 cup (148g) 1:1 gluten-free flour
1/2 teaspoon (3g) kosher salt (Morton’s)
1 teaspoon (4.6g) baking powder
4 eggs, room temperature
For the filling
2 cups (475ml) dairy-free heavy cream
11/2 teaspoons (7.5ml) vanilla extract
4 egg yolks
3/4 cup (170g) packed light brown sugar
Pinch salt
4 tablespoons (32g) cornstarch
Powdered sugar for dusting
WHAT TO DO
To make the batter
Place an oven rack in the center position. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Place a medium saucepan over medium heat on the stove. Add the butter and water and bring to a rapid boil. Stir in flour, salt, and baking powder with a wooden spoon until it becomes a dough ball.
Remove from the saucepan and place in a mixing bowl. Add one egg at a time, mixing at high speed to avoid scrambling the egg.
Add to a pastry bag with a large, round opening. Pipe 2-inch (5cm) diameter cream puffs onto the parchment paper.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until darker than golden brown.
Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack. Cool completely.
Cut the tops off and pull out the insides, leaving the shells only.
To make the filling
In a medium saucepan, combine heavy cream and vanilla, then heat over medium heat until boiling.
In a separate bowl, blend the yolks, brown sugar, salt, and cornstarch. Once the cream boils, reduce heat, and temper the eggs by gradually whisking in spoonfuls of cream.
Once tempered, combine the egg mixture with the milk in the pot and whisk until thick. Remove from the stove and transfer the pastry cream to a bowl. Completely chill the pastry cream in the fridge, covered.
Cut some of the top off a pastry bag and put the cooled pastry cream in. Pipe cream into the puffs, 2 inches in diameter and about 11/2 inches high, and put the tops back on. Dust with powdered sugar.
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