Italian Cream Puffs Recipe (Bignè)

These light and airy Italian Cream Puffs are baked using choux pastry and then filled with a lemon pastry cream.

📝 Ingredients

• 1 cup (240ml) water
• 3 ounces (3/4 stick/85grams) unsalted butter
• pinch salt
• 1 cup (125 grams) all purpose (plain) flour
• 4 eggs (at room temperature)
• 2 quantities pastry cream
• 2 teaspoons limoncello (or other liqueur of your choice)
• powdered sugar for dusting ((icing sugar))

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- Choux Pastry Puffs ---
2. 2Preheat oven 430°F/220ºC. Line two large baking sheets with non-stick parchment paper.
3. 3Sift flour into bowl.
4. 4Place water, butter and salt into saucepan over low heat until butter is melted. Raise heat and bring to a boil. It is important that the water boils.
5. 5While the water is boiling add the flour all at once and stir well over the heat until the mixture comes away from the sides of the saucepan.
6. 6Remove from heat and scrape the mixture into bowl of an electric stand mixer. Allow to cool for a few minutes.
7. 7Start the mixer and allow the steam to escape from the mixture for a minute or two.
8. 8Add eggs one at a time, mixing until incorporated before adding the next egg. Mixture should be smooth, shiny and thick.
9. 9Place a large well heaped teaspoonful of choux paste onto lined baking trays using two spoons – one to scoop and one to push paste off onto the tray.
10. 10Bake for 10 minutes then turn oven down to 350°F/180ºC and bake for a further 40 minutes.
11. 11Cool in the oven with the door held ajar with a wooden spoon.
12. 12When cool, store in airtight container for 1 or 2 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
13. 13--- Filling ---
14. 14Stir pastry cream and limoncello together.
15. 15--- To assemble ---
16. 16EITHER split puffs in half and either spoon or pipe filling into base heaping up to fill the top when it is replaced.
17. 17OR make a small hole in the side of a puff then using a piping bag with small tip attached, fill puffs until they feel heavy.
18. 18--- To serve Cream Puffs ---
19. 19Sieve powdered sugar over Italian Cream Puffs (bignè) serve immediately or refrigerate for an hour or two before serving.