Choux à la Crème (aka French cream puffs) are a beautiful french pastry that starts with light and airy choux pastry, a cookie topping called craquelin and light yet creamy filling. They're absolutely scrumptious and easier than you may think.
With a crispy, buttery pastry shell and silky-smooth crème légère filling they look like they're straight from a French patisserie. They're perfect for eating for afternoon tea, a high tea at home, or for any type of entertaining.
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❤️ Why this recipe works!
- Crisp, even tops thanks to the craquelin topping which helps the choux bake into neat, round buns.
- Light but luscious filling thanks to crème légère. Softer and more delicate than pastry cream, it's still perfectly pipeable.
- Perfect texture contrast - crisp hollow choux buns, crackly tops and cloud-like creamy filling.
- Simple components, stunning results using basic French pastry building blocks.
- No piping "skill" necessary I serve these "surprise centre" style (you can't see what's in them until you bite in) but you can cut the tops off and pipe a big swirl if you want to show off the silky filling.
- Ideal for entertaining - they look elegant on a platter and feel special enough for celebrations yet are simple enough for afternoon tea.
What is choux à la crème?
Choux à la Crème are a French choux pastry bun with a creamy filling - a French cream puff. Sometimes they have craquelin added but are just as acceptable without (it just comes down to preference). The creamy filling can be a crème légère, crème diplomate or similar.
Ingredients & substitutions
- Milk: Use whole milk in this recipe for the best flavour. This is in both the choux pastry and the pastry cream (creme patissiere).
- Cream: To be able to whip it properly, make sure to use a heavy cream / whipping cream with at least 35% milk fat.
- Sugars: There is white granulated sugar in both the choux pastry and crème légère. You can use the same in the craquelin, though you get an even better flavour by using brown sugar.
- Eggs: You'll need plenty of eggs here. They're in both the choux pastry and creamy filling. Use large eggs so you have the right quantity (roughly) by weight.
- Vanilla extract: Use a pure vanilla extract or real vanilla bean for the best flavour here. Vanilla essence is a synthetic / artificial flavouring so doesn't have such an authentic or nice flavour.
- Cornflour (known in some places as cornstarch) is a very fine white starch used for thickening the vanilla cream filling.
How to make choux à la crème
These choux à la crème are made up of 3 parts and each of them are very easy. You'll find the steps below however, if you want more information regarding troubleshooting or more detailed steps, see these individual recipes;
⬇️Jump to the recipe card for full quantities and instructions.
Make custard base
(6-7 minutes) Heat some milk until steaming, then gradually add it to a mixture of egg yolks and cornflour. This is called tempering - bringing the temperature of the eggs up gradually so they don't scramble.
Thicken the pastry cream
(9 minutes) Cook the custard, whisking constantly, and letting it bubble for a minute. Stir in vanilla and butter and you now have pastry cream.
Cool the pastry cream
(2 hours) Let the pastry cream cool with plastic wrap pressed tightly to the surface (to stop a skin from forming). It needs to be completely cooled before use so you can make this the day before.
Make the cookie dough
(4 minutes) For the craquelin dough, beat together butter and brown sugar until light and creamy. Beat in flour and it's ready.
Roll and freeze
(35 minutes) Roll the craquelin dough between two sheets of baking paper/parchment paper or use food-safe silicone mats (like mine, left) or even baking mats. Freeze the dough for 30 minutes. This dough can also be made well in advance.
Start the choux dough
(2-3 minutes) Heat butter and milk until it just starts to simmer. Turn off the heat.
Make the panade
(10 minutes) Sift in flour, then stir until fully combined. Return it to the heat and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Cool it for 5-10 minutes before proceeding.
Add eggs
(5 minutes) To turn it into choux dough, start adding eggs a little at a time and mixing until each addition is fully incorporated before adding the next.
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The V test
To test whether the choux dough is ready, it should be glossy and drop off the spatula reluctantly, leaving a neat 'V' in its wake.
Pipe the choux buns
(7 minutes) Transfer the pâte à choux (choux pastry) to a piping bag and pipe rounds of dough onto a baking sheet, about 5cm/2in wide and about 1.5cm/1/2 inch tall.
Cut the craquelin
(3 minutes) Using a 5cm round cookie cutter, cut out rounds of frozen craquelin dough.
Top and bake
(1 minute) Place the rounds of craquelin on top of the choux mounds and bake for around 35 minutes.
Make the crème légère
(5 minutes) Whip some cream to firm peaks, then carefully fold it into the (re-whipped) pastry cream.
Fill the choux au craquelin
(15 minutes) Make a small hole in the base of each choux bun just big enough to fit the piping tip and fill the choux buns with crème légère until the tip starts to push back. Now you have Choux à la Crème.
Tips and tricks
- Bake the choux until deeply golden so the shells have time to dry out properly and hold their shape, keeping their hollow centres.
- Don't open the oven too early, or the choux may collapse before the structure sets.
- Let the shells cool completely before filling, so the crème légère stays chilled and the pastry keeps its texture.
- Pipe the crème légère generously, for that classic, full and luxurious centre.
- Assemble as close to serving as possible so the shells stay as crisp as possible.
Storage and make-ahead tips
Choux à la crème is best eaten the day it is made as the filling will begin to soften the pastry. The pastry itself is also at its crispest on day 1.
Room temp
The unfilled choux shells can be stored at room temperature, in an airtight container for, 2 days. Filled choux buns should not be stored at room temperature.
Fridge
The unfilled choux shells can be stored in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Filled choux buns can be stored in the fridge for 1-2 days (within the window you made the creme legere) but are best eaten the day they are made.
The pastry cream can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container with plastic wrap pressed to the surface, for 2-3 days. Creme legere will keep in the fridge for 1-2 days but will loosen the longer it sits.
Freezer
The unfilled choux shells can be stored in the freezer, in an airtight container for up to 3 months. The rolled out craquelin dough can also be frozen for up to 3 months but make sure it's wrapped well in plastic wrap so that it doesn't absorb freezer smells.
Neither pastry cream or creme legere should be frozen.
Variations
You can totally make your own twists on this base choux à la crème recipe. Try one of these.
- More filling: You can add more filling and make it visible by cutting the tops off the choux buns, filling with a big swirl of creme legere, then putting the tops back on. Even more generous and luxurious.
- Other flavours: Make a chocolate creme legere or raspberry creme legere using my chocolate pastry cream or raspberry pastry cream.
- Additional filling: While choux à la crème is technically just choux bun with creamy filling, you could add a secondary filling for additional flavour, like jam or praline paste.
- Chocolate drizzle: Add a chocolate drizzle over the top that compliments the flavour inside.
- Leave off the craquelin: You don't have to top these with craquelin. You can leave it off for a classic irregularly shaped choux bun.
Tools I use
- Stand mixer: I use a Kitchen Aid stand mixer for making the craquelin dough and sometimes for mixing the choux pastry. You could also use an handheld mixer for the dough and just beat the choux by hand.
- Silicone mats: I love using these clear silicone mats for rolling my dough (it makes it so easy to remove and keeps the dough smooth) but you can use baking mats or baking paper.
- Rolling pin
- Rolling thickness guides: You can eyeball the thickness of the craquelin cookie dough but thickness guides are cheap and make it easier. I use them all the time now. You'll have to move these one around from time to time as they'll be shorter than the dough. Or get two sets and stick them together with thin tape.
- Round cookie cutters: Metal ones have a nice sharp edge and can cut through frozen dough easier.
- Medium heavy-based saucepan: The heavy base makes for even heating.
- Silicone spatula: So useful in the kitchen - never leave anything behind in bowls.
- Plastic dough scraper: These are really helpful for everything from adding pastry to piping bags, scraping out the bowl, pressing the dough to remove air bubbles, pressing the dough down into the piping bags and scraping down the work surface.
- Measuring jug: For whisking up the eggs.
- Mini whisk
- Piping bag: For piping the choux buns. You could use a ziplock bag with the corner cut off if you need.
- Silicone baking mats: I use the perforated mats if I'm not cutting them open to fill as they often stick and make a little hole in the base when taking them off these mats. Regular silicone baking mats work fine.
- Half sheet pans: These are the size I always use for my baking.
❓FAQs
Choux à la crème are French cream puffs -a choux bun filled with a creamy filling. In this version, they're topped with craquelin (a French crispy cookie topping) and filled with crème légère.
Crème légère is a pastry cream lightened with whipped cream. It's light, airy and perfect for filling pastries because it feels rich but not too heavy.
Yes. The components can all be made ahead by various timeframes (see my storage and make ahead section above) but French cream puffs are best filled within hours of serving.
The choux shells will soften over time but as long as they aren't filled, you can re-crisp them in the oven in 5-7 minutes. Once the shells are filled, they will begin to soften more quickly and should be eaten quickly for the best texture.
No. You can leave the craquelin off. The craquelin gives them a crispy, sweeter coating and makes the buns rise in a regular dome shape. If you leave it off, you'll have a classic choux bun, not very sweet and irregularly shaped. It's just down to personal preference.
If you made this choux à la crème recipe,
be sure to leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below. Thank you!
Choux à la Crème
Equipment
- Stand mixer or electric beater
- Mixing bowls
- Silicone mats, baking mats or baking paper
- Rolling thickness guides not essential but helpful
- Piping bag
Ingredients
CRAQUELIN
- 100 g brown sugar or white sugar (3 ½ oz)
- 100 g plain flour (all purpose flour) (3 ½ oz)
- 85 g unsalted butter (3oz)
CHOUX BUNS
- ½ cup water (125ml)
- ½ cup whole milk (125ml)
- 115 g unsalted butter (4oz / 1 stick)
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 130 g plain flour (all purpose flour) (~4 ½oz)
CRÈME LÉGÈRE
- 625 ml whole milk (2 ½ cups)
- 105 g white granulated sugar or caster sugar (½ cup/~3 ½oz)
- 38 g cornflour (US cornstarch) (⅓ cup/1 ⅓oz)
- 4 egg yolks from large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 14 g unsalted butter (½ oz/1 tablespoon)
- pinch salt
- 180 ml whipping cream / heavy cream (¾ cup)
Instructions
- FOR THE CRÈME LÉGÈRE:In a heavy based, medium saucepan, over medium heat, heat 2 cups of the milk and all the sugar, stirring to dissolve until it starts steaming point.
- Add the cornflour, eggs and remaining ½ cup of milk to a medium mixing bowl. Whisk, using a balloon whisk until smooth and combined.
- While gently whisking, very slowly drizzle the hot milk into the eggs. Don't pour it too quickly or you'll cook the eggs.
- Return the custard mixture to the pan and cook over medium heat, gently stirring with a whisk the entire time until it starts to thicken and bubble.
- As soon as you see the first bubbles appear, continue cooking and stirring for a full minute to activate the cornflour.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, vanilla and salt until the butter has melted and is fully incorporated.
- Pour the vanilla pastry cream into a dish or bowl and press plastic wrap to the surface to prevent a skin forming.
- Chill 2-3 hours or overnight until cold.
- Preheat oven to 190C / 375F. Line 2 half baking sheets with silpats (recommended) or baking paper/parchment paper.
- FOR THE CRAQUELIN:In a medium bowl with an electric handheld mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy.
- Add the flour and beat until combined into a dough.
- Shape the dough into a disk and place between 2 sheets of baking paper. Roll out to around 3mm / ⅛in thick.
- Freeze flat for around 30 minutes (or until required).
- FOR THE CHOUX:Combine the water, milk, butter, sugar and salt in saucepan and heat over medium stirring to melt the butter, then allow it to start to bubble.
- Once you see the first bubbles, turn the heat off. Add the flour and stir in with the spatula until fully combined.
- Place the pan over low heat and cook for 2 minutes, moving constantly. Fold it over itself then press it out across the pan and repeat for 2 minutes.- By hand: Press the dough out flat over the base of the pan and leave it to cool for 5-10 minutes until it's no longer hot (warm is fine).- By stand mixer: Transfer the dough to a stand mixer with a paddle attachment and beat on low for 2 minutes.
- Lightly beat 4 eggs together in a jug.
- Add a quarter of the eggs to the panade/dough with one of these 3 methods;- In the stand mixer with paddle attachment and mix on low.- Beat by hand, directly in the saucepan with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon.- Use a handheld mixer on low.
- Continue by adding another quarter of the eggs, beating until fully incorporated. Repeat with the third quarter of eggs.
- With the last quarter of the eggs, add them just a little at a time until you have a dough that is smooth and shiny. It should reluctantly fall from the spoon leaving a "V" shape hanging from it.
- Once the dough is the right consistency, transfer it to a piping bag and pipe as desired. Holding your piping bag at a 90° angle to the lined baking sheet (directly upright with tip down). Pipe a mound of choux about 5cm/2in wide 1.25cm / ½ in tall.
- ASSEMBLY:Take the craquelin from the freezer and cut 5cm or just over rounds then place them on top of each mound of choux.Try to get as many from the first roll as possible but the dough can be re-rolled, chilled and cut as needed.
- Bake immediately for 35 minutes. When your choux pastries come out of the oven, as soon as you can handle them, poke a hole in the base with a skewer.
- BACK TO THE CRÈME LÉGÈRE (fill the pastries within 1-2 hours of serving time):Once the pastry cream is completely cool, pour the cream into a clean bowl. Whisk or beat with a handheld electric mixer to firm peak stage. Be careful not to overwhip or it will become grainy.
- In a clean bowl, give the pastry cream a whisk to smooth it out, then add ⅓ of the cream and fold it into the pastry cream. Repeat this 2 more times with the remaining cream, being very careful to just gently fold so you don't squash the air out of it.
- Use a chopstick or sharp knife to cut a small round hole in the base of each choux au craquelin.
- Transfer to a piping bag with a small plain piping tip and pipe in the crème légère until full (the piping tip should start pushing back towards you). Serve immediately.
- Please take a moment to leave a comment & rating. It's appreciated and so helpful.
Notes
- Best filled as close to serving time as possible. The pastry will soften over time after being filled.
- Store unfilled choux au craquelin in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Re-crisp choux shells in an oven preheated to 180C/350F for 5-6 minutes.
- Freeze unfilled choux au craquelin for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
- Craquelin dough can be made ahead of time an frozen for up to 3 months.
- Filled choux is best eaten as close to filling time as possible.
- Crème légère is best used the day it is made.
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