Filling
🧁 Cream Puffs with Custard Filling
These classic cream puffs have a light, airy pastry shell and a rich vanilla custard filling.
Ingredients
For the pastry (choux pastry)
- 1 cup (240 ml) water
- ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs
For the custard filling
- 2 cups (480 ml) milk
- ½ cup (100 g) sugar
- 4 egg yolks
- ¼ cup (30 g) cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Optional topping
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Step 1: Make the custard
- Heat the milk in a saucepan until hot but not boiling.
- In a bowl, whisk together sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch until smooth.
- Slowly whisk the hot milk into the egg mixture.
- Return everything to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened.
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and butter.
- Cover the surface with plastic wrap and chill completely.
Step 2: Make the pastry
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- In a saucepan, bring water, butter, and salt to a boil.
- Add the flour all at once and stir vigorously until a smooth dough forms and pulls away from the sides.
- Remove from heat and cool for about 5 minutes.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time until the dough is smooth and glossy.
- Pipe or spoon mounds onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Step 3: Bake
- Bake for 20–25 minutes until puffed and golden brown.
- Do not open the oven during baking.
- Once baked, let the shells cool completely.
Step 4: Fill the cream puffs
- Transfer the chilled custard to a piping bag.
- Make a small hole in each puff or slice them in half.
- Fill generously with the custard.
Step 5: Serve
- Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
- Refrigerate leftovers and enjoy within 1–2 days.
