A good choux pastry is memorable in more ways than one. First, there’s the mystery of not knowing what’s inside. Second, there’s the delight of biting into the puff and tasting cream, jam, ice cream—or something else entirely. We’re partial to this version that’s filled with chestnut cream and topped with a simple sugar icing.
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 stick butter
- 1 cup flour
- Pinch of salt
- 4 eggs
- One 2.75 oz. tube Clément Faugier chestnut cream
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- About 3 tsp. heavy cream
- Food coloring (optional)
- Sprinkles, for garnish (optional)
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk and butter and stir until the butter is melted and fully incorporated into the milk. When the mixture just begins to bubble at the edges, add the flour and salt and reduce the heat to low. Stir with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together and releases from the sides of the saucepan. Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl or to the bowl of a stand mixer.
3. Beat in the eggs one at a time on low speed, making sure the eggs are fully incorporated before adding the next one. Transfer the dough to a piping bag affixed with a large tip.
4. Carefully pipe the dough in small mounds, about 1 inch in diameter and 1 inch apart from each other. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake until golden, about 20 minutes more. Remove from the oven and prick each choux with a skewer to release the steam. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
5. Fill another piping bag with chestnut cream and fill each cream puff by puncturing the cream puff with the piping bag.
6. To create the icing, combine the powdered sugar with 1 teaspoon of cream. Continue to add the cream 1 teaspoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency. Stir in the food coloring, if using. Drizzle the icing over the cream puffs, then top with sprinkles.
