Cream Puffs

Cream Puffs are a classic French dessert of pastry shells filled with pastry cream

Course Desserts

Cuisine American, French

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1 5

Servings cream puffs

Calories 556kcal

In a medium saucepan bring the water to a boil. Add the shortening or butter, and salt. Let the water return to a full boil and then remove from the heat.
Add the flour, stirring until the mixture forms a ball and leaves the sides of the pan.
Using an electric hand mixer on high speed, add the eggs one at a time, making sure to mix well between additions. The mixture will be very smooth and silky looking. Allow cream puff batter to cool completely.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and line a half sheet pan with parchment paper.
Using two large tablespoon drop the batter in about 8 to 9 scoops on the prepared baking pan. (or use a cookie scoop or pastry bag to pipe cream puffs onto sheet pan.)
Bake for 15 minutes; reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for an additional 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and set pan on a baking rack to cool.

In a large bowl add the vanilla pudding, milk, and almond extract; blend together with a whisk. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in the refrigerator to set. Refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes.
When ready to fill cream puffs, add the heavy cream to a large bowl and use an electric hand mixer to whip to stiff peaks. Fold the pudding mixture and whipped cream together using a spatula.

Create a double boiler by bringing a medium pot of water to a simmer over medium heat. Place a heatproof bowl on top of the simmering water, adding the chocolate chips, butter, heavy cream, and corn syrup to the bowl.
Stir mixture together with a spatula until the chocolate is melted and combined.
As soon as this mixture starts to melt, turn the heat off and stir until smooth.

Once cream puffs are cooled, fill them with pastry filling.
Slice the tops off the cream puffs using a sharp knife. If needed, remove and discard some of the pastry with your fingers. Use two spoons to scoop the filling into each cream puff.
Either spoon pastry cream filling with a large spoon or pipe it inside of cream puffs using a pastry bag.
Cover pastry cream with cream puffs tops.
Drizzle warm chocolate over top of the pastry filled cream puffs. Decorated with drained maraschino cherries and mint leaf candies. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Serve immediately or refrigerate.

If making ahead of time, place cream puffs on a half sheet pan, top with chocolate ganache and maraschino cherries, cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
DUST with powdered sugar right before serving.

Prepare the Cream Puffs ahead of time:

You can prepare cream puffs the night before, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. They will last in the fridge for about 2 days.

Dust them with powdered sugar right before serving!