Cream Puffs are one of my favorite foods from my childhood. I knew it was a special day if my mom decided to make cream puffs! A flavorful, light, airy, flaky shell is filled with homemade, creamy custard filling and sprinkled with powdered sugar. You can drizzle chocolate, top with a cherry, or add any of your own special touches. They don't need much. These are special without any additions! #creampuff #custardfilledcreampuff #Sonomnom4u #mymomsrecipe
Custard Filling Ingredients:
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
3 TBSP corn starch
2 cups Half & Half
1 tsp vanilla
Cream Puff Shell Ingredients:
1/2 stick butter
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup flour
4 eggs + 1 for egg wash
1 cup water
Garnish:
2 TBSP powder sugar
Maraschino cherries (optional)
Chocolate drizzle (optional)
Heat oven to 375°
Butter or spray a 12-count muffin tin. Set aside.
Add 1 egg and 1 TBSP water in a small bowl. Mix and set aside.
Custard Filling Instructions:
Separate 3 eggs. Save the yolks.
With the stove OFF, in a medium saucepan, whisk 2 egg yolks, 1/2 cup sugar and a dash of salt.
Add 3 TBSP cornstarch to the egg mixture and whisk until well-blended.
Add 2 cups of half & half and mix until completely smooth.
TURN ON HEAT NOW. Cook until thick, but stir often. I use a whisk and briskly stir often. It can stick and burn if you do not!
When it is thick like pudding, remove from heat and stir in 1 tsp vanilla.
Mix until well blended, thick and creamy. Pour into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until completely chilled.
Cream Puff Instructions:
In a medium saucepan, melt 1/2 stick of butter. Add sugar and salt and stir until blended. Add 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add flour and stir quickly with a wooden spoon. When the flour is completely mixed, dump mixture into a stand alone mixer or get out a hand mixer. Let cool about 3 minutes. Add 4 eggs, 1egg at a time while mixing it in completely. Add each egg and mix in between additions. When you have a sticky dough, turn off mixer.
Add about 1/4 cup or less of the sticky dough to each muffin compartment. Smooth it with a spoon. Brush a little egg wash on the top of each of the 12 cream puff shells.
Bake for 30 minutes and do not open the oven to peek. If you open the oven or remove them too early, they may collapse or not cook hollow.
Bake until golden and crispy. Remove from tin and cool on a cooling rack. You may have to gently slide a butter knife around the edge before removing from the muffin tin.
Assembly Instructions:
When cream puff shells are coompletely cooled and the custard filling is completely chilled, you can build these beauties! Take a sharp, serrated knife and gently remove the top of each shell. fill the center with the custard. Place cherry on top and place lid slightly ajar to show off the inside. Pour 2 tbsp powder sugar in a metal sieve and shake a bit over the top. Serve and impress your guest! Enjoy! So Nom Nom!!
