Easy Cream Puffs

No ratings yet

Delicious little cream puffs with a caramel and whipped cream filing

Prep Time15

Cook Time35

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: French

Servings:

Combine the milk and butter in a medium saucepan and heat on medium heat. Stir until butter melts and mixture just comes to the boil
Remove from heat and add flour. Combine well using a wooden spoon
Cook for 1-2 minutes until the mixture forms a ball and leaves the side of the pan and a thin crust forms at the bottom of the pan
Place the dough in a bowl and using an electric mixer mix the dough for a few seconds just to cool down a little
Add one egg and beat until well combined. Add the second egg and beat well. The mixture will fall from the spoon but still holds its shape
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. You can use a 1.5cm diameter plain nozzle and pipe the pastry onto the baking tray, if you do get peaks wet your finger lightly and smooth them out. Alternatively drop spoonful of the mixture onto the tray. Keep them about 2.5cm apart so they don't stick together
Bake in the oven for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes reduce the heat to 160 degrees Celsius and bake for another 20 minutes or slightly longer until the pastry is puffed and golden brown
Remove from oven and gently cut off the tops with a serrated knife and allow to cool.

Add the castor sugar and vanilla to the fresh cream and whip until stiff peaks form

Spread a teaspoon full of caramel on the bottom of each pastry. Fill the piping bag with fresh cream fitted with a star nozzle and pipe the cream on top of the caramel. Place the other half of the pastry on top and dust with icing sugar

Cut your butter into small pieces so it melts fairly quickly, you do not want it simmering too long as it will lose moisture
Eggs should be at room temperature
Your oven should be really hot before you bake the choux pastry or the shell won't crisp up
You can use custard instead of a cream filling