If I were ever to have a signature dish, this would be it. Cream puffs were my very first attempt at baking as a kid and since then, I've made these suckers so many times that I have committed the recipe to memory. In fact, I made them so much during high school that I took a long cream puff-hiatus during college and pharmacy school. I decided to bring these back for Thanksgiving this year. My original recipe came from an old Bank of America cookbook that my aunt bought for me when I was younger. I have no idea where the book went so I searched alot of online recipes before finding the right combo of pastry and cream that stays true to the recipe I remember. These pastries are very easy to make and are great party treats - guess what my friends are eating this year for our Christmas party?
Cream Puffs with Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream
Recipe for puffs adapted from Steamy Kitchen
Recipe for pastry cream modified from All Recipes
For the puffs:
Ingredients
1 cup water
1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
1 cup all purpose flour
4 large eggs
pinch of sugar
Directions
Preheat oven 425F.
In a medium pot, bring the water and butter to a simmer on medium heat.
Add the flour and with a wooden spoon or spatula, stir very quickly in one direction. Carefully watch and you'll see that the flour starts absorbing the liquid -- and a dough will form.
Keep stirring to continue cooking the flour and cook off some of the water, another minute or two.
Cool mixture slightly, 4 or 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time mixing rapidly until each is combined into the paste. The paste will go from shiny to slippery to sticky as the egg is incorporated.
Spoon the dough into a large gallon-sized plastic bag (or piping bag.) Pipe onto a baking sheet into little puffs, keeping the puffs 2-inches apart.
Bake at 425F for 10 minutes, then 350F for 18-30 minutes, depending on the size of your puffs.
For the pastry cream:
Ingredients
2 cups milk
1/2 cup white sugar
6 egg yolks
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons cornstarch
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
1 pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla (I like using vanilla bean paste rather than extract - it gives the cream the pretty little vanilla bean speck without the hassle of using a whole vanilla bean)
Directions
Place the milk and half the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Combine the egg yolks and the remaining sugar in a bowl and whisk until light in color.
Add in the flour and the salt, mix to combine.
When the milk just begins to boil, remove from heat. Very slowly dribble the hot milk into the yolk mixture, stirring all the time.
When about half of the milk has been added, place all of the yolk mixture into the saucepan over medium heat.
Using a spatula or a whisk, mix the pastry cream as it heats, making sure to reach all of the corners of the pan when you stir. Bring the mixture to a boil. Let boil for about 1 minute, stirring constantly. The mixture will be thick.
Remove from heat and add the butter and vanilla extract/paste. Strain if you wish for a smoother cream. Place into a bowl and cover directly with plastic wrap to stop a skin from forming on the cream.
Fill cream puffs and sprinkle powdered sugar on top right before serving.
