Choux à la Crème

Closeup of the filling and craquelin edge of a choux a la creme.

Choux à la Crème - French Cream Puffs with crisp craquelin tops and silky crème légère filling. And they're easier than they look!

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Prep Time: 1

Cook Time: 50

Chilling time: 2

Total Time: 3 50

Servings: serves

Calories: 166kcal

Equipment

Stand mixer or electric beater
Mixing bowls
Silicone mats, baking mats or baking paper
Rolling Pin
Rolling thickness guides not essential but helpful
Medium heavy-based saucepan
Silicone spatula
Piping bag
Half sheet pans
5cm round cookie cutter

For best results, weigh ingredients with a kitchen scale.

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.
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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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