France · Sweet Dishes · Vegetarian

Choux Puffs (Shu) with Pastry Cream

Name: Choux Puffs (Shu) with Pastry Cream
Prep time: 18 min
Cook time: 42 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 125 ml water; 125 ml milk; 100 g butter; 1 tsp sugar; 0.5 tsp salt; 150 g wheat flour; 4 eggs; 500 ml milk; 100 g sugar; 4 egg yolks; 40 g cornstarch; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 200 ml heavy cream; 100 g dark chocolate; 50 ml heavy cream

Classic French choux pastry puffs with a crisp golden shell and a light vanilla pastry cream filling. The choux dough is made by cooking flour in boiling water and butter, then beating in eggs. Served freshly filled for the best contrast of crispy shell and cold, silky cream.

60 min 240 kcal 8 serves Advanced🌿Vegetarian🇫🇷France★★★★★4.8· 5 reviews

Ingredients

ServingsMetric

125 mlwater
125 mlmilk
100 gbutter
1 tspsugar
½ tspsalt
150 gwheat flour
4 eggs
500 mlmilk
100 gsugar
4 egg yolks
40 gcornstarch
1 tspvanilla extract
200 mlheavy cream
100 gdark chocolate
50 mlheavy cream

Note from Sergei

Sergei Martynov

“Choux puffs (profiteroles) are built on one of the most fascinating doughs in pastry — choux paste, where steam is the only leavening agent. Water evaporates from inside the dough during baking, creating dramatic puffing and a hollow center perfect for filling. The stovetop cooking step is critical: stir the flour-butter-water mixture vigorously until it forms a smooth ball and a thin film coats the bottom of the pan. This cooking gelatinizes the starch, which is what gives choux its structure. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each — the dough should be glossy and fall from the spatula in a thick, lazy V-shape. Too much egg makes flat puffs; too little makes dense ones.”

Pipe puffs onto parchment, leaving 5 cm between each. Dab the peaks with a wet finger before baking to prevent them from burning. Bake at 220°C for 10 minutes, then drop to 180°C for 15 more — don't open the door until the very end.

Method

Bring water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt to a boil. Add all the flour at once and stir vigorously with a spatula until the dough comes together and a film forms on the base of the pan (1–2 min). Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing until smooth after each. The dough should fall from the spatula in a heavy triangle ribbon.
Pipe or spoon rounds (4–5 cm) onto a parchment-lined baking tray, spacing them apart. Moisten your fingertip with water and smooth any peaked tips. Bake at 200 °C (180 °C fan) for 25–30 minutes until deeply golden. Do not open the oven. Pierce the base of each puff with a knife to let steam escape. Cool completely.
For the cream: bring milk and vanilla to a boil. Whisk yolks with sugar and cornstarch. Pour hot milk into yolks in a thin stream. Return to heat and cook, stirring, until very thick. Cover with cling film touching the surface and cool completely. Whip cold heavy cream to peaks and fold into the cooled custard.
Slice the tops off the puffs. Fill with cream using a piping bag. Replace the tops. Optionally drizzle with chocolate ganache (melt chocolate with warm cream).
Serve immediately after filling while the shell is still crispy. If storing unfilled, keep in an airtight container and fill just before serving.

FAQ

The most common reason is dough that is too runny from too many eggs. Add eggs one at a time: the correct consistency is dough that slowly slides off a spatula in a 'V' shape — it should not pour. Another frequent mistake is opening the oven in the first 20 minutes, which deflates the puffs. Bake at 200°C for the first 20 minutes, then reduce to 180°C for another 10 minutes.

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Comments (1)

Sergei Martynov✍ Author
29d ago
Don't open the oven door during the first two-thirds of baking choux puffs. The sudden temperature drop can cause sinking, cracking, or uneven rising. Trust the timer and check only in the final stretch.