Description
Classic Cream Puffs featuring a delicate, airy choux pastry shell filled with a luscious vanilla pudding and whipped cream filling, subtly enhanced with almond extract. Perfectly baked until golden and light, these cream puffs are an elegant dessert that’s easy to make and sure to impress.
Ingredients
Scale
Pastry Shell
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup salted butter
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 4 eggs
Cream Puff Filling
- 1 package vanilla instant pudding mix
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1 1/4 cups milk
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine water, salted butter, and salt. Heat until the mixture reaches a rolling boil.
- Add flour: Remove the saucepan from heat and add all the flour at once. Using a wooden spoon, stir vigorously until the dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
- Incorporate eggs: Add eggs to the dough one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition until the dough is smooth and satiny. Allow the mixture to cool slightly before the next step.
- Bake the pastry shells: Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Lightly grease and flour a large baking sheet or line it with parchment paper. Using heaping tablespoons, drop the dough onto the baking sheet forming 10 large mounds. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until shells are golden brown. After baking, turn off the oven and leave the puffs inside for 15 minutes to dry out. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Whip the cream: Pour 1 cup of heavy whipping cream into a mixing bowl. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer on high speed, beat the cream for 3-4 minutes until it forms stiff, pillowy peaks.
- Prepare pudding filling: Prepare the vanilla instant pudding according to package instructions, substituting 1 1/4 cups of milk instead of the usual amount for a thicker consistency.
- Combine filling: Gently fold the whipped cream and 1 teaspoon almond extract into the prepared vanilla pudding using a spatula until fully blended and smooth.
- Assemble cream puffs: Once the pastry shells have cooled, carefully slice each puff in half horizontally. Spoon or pipe the cream filling generously into the bottom halves, then replace the tops. Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator or freeze for later enjoyment.
Notes
- Make sure to allow the pastry shells to cool completely before filling to prevent the filling from melting.
- If you don’t have almond extract, vanilla extract can be used as a substitute, though flavor will be slightly different.
- The pastry dough can be piped for more uniform puffs if desired.
- Store filled cream puffs in the refrigerator and consume within 2 days for best freshness.
- For extra crisp shells, letting them dry in the turned-off oven at the end of baking is essential.
