Lionesas de crema (Pasta choux)

Ingredients

• 120 mlwhole milk
• 120 mlwater
• 115 gunsalted butter
• 2 teaspoonsgranulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoonsalt
• 140 gplain flour
• 3–4 largeeggs
• 360 mlcold double cream
• 55 g, plus more for garnishicing sugar
• 2 teaspoonspure vanilla extract, or 1 vanilla pod, split and scraped

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat the oven

   Preheat the oven to 200°C. Line two baking trays with baking parchment or silicone mats.

2. 2

   Cook the dough

   Put the milk, water, butter, granulated sugar and salt in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring now and then, until the butter has melted and the sugar and salt have dissolved. Add all the flour at once and stir with a large spoon until it forms a paste. Work the dough against the base and sides of the pan for about 1 minute, until it looks slightly dry and pulls away from the sides. Take the pan off the heat and transfer the dough to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.

3. 3

   Add the eggs

   Beat the eggs together in a small bowl. Mix the dough at medium speed, adding the egg gradually, a little at a time, and letting each addition incorporate before adding more. When about one egg's worth remains, add it bit by bit until the dough is soft, shiny and pipeable; you may not need all the egg.

4. 4

   Pipe the puffs

   Put the dough in a piping bag fitted with a round nozzle about 1 cm wide. Hold the bag upright at a 90-degree angle and pipe mounds 4–5 cm wide, spaced about 7.5 cm apart, using steady pressure without stopping and starting. Wet a finger and gently press down any pointed tips.

5. 5

   Bake until golden

   Bake for 15 minutes. Without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 175°C and bake for a further 12–15 minutes, until the puffs are golden brown on top. Remove them from the oven and leave to cool completely on a wire rack before filling.

6. 6

   Whip the cream

   Using a mixer with a whisk attachment or a handheld mixer, whisk the cold cream, icing sugar and vanilla at medium speed until medium peaks form.

7. 7

   Fill and serve

   Use a sharp knife to make a hole in the base of each puff. Put the Chantilly cream in a piping bag and pipe it into each puff through the hole. Alternatively, cut each puff horizontally, pipe cream onto the bottom half and replace the top. Dust with icing sugar through a fine sieve and serve immediately.

What are cream puffs?

Cream puffs are French-style pastries made from choux pastry, a dough cooked briefly on the hob before being baked. The dough rises in the oven to form a hollow centre, ready to be filled.

This version pairs the light pastry with sweet vanilla Chantilly cream. The two-stage bake helps the puffs rise before they turn golden and crisp.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 195 calories, 4g protein, 17g carbs, 13g fat.

The flour and sugars provide most of the carbohydrates, while the butter and double cream contribute most of the fat and saturated fat. Eggs and dairy supply some protein; serve a puff or two with fresh fruit if you want to balance the plate with something fresh.

Building the choux dough

Cook the base: Heating the milk, water and butter together melts the fat and dissolves the sugar and salt. Adding the flour all at once helps it come together into a single dough.

Dry the dough: Stirring it against the pan for about a minute cooks the flour and lets some moisture evaporate. This prepares it to take in the eggs.

Adding the eggs gradually

Add in stages: The dough needs enough egg to become glossy and pipeable, but too much can make it runny. Beat the eggs first, then add them a little at a time and pause between additions.

Check the texture: Depending on how much moisture evaporates from the dough, you may not use all the egg. Stop when the dough is soft and shiny and can be piped into mounds.

Piping even puffs

Steady pressure: Hold the piping bag upright and pipe each mound in one continuous motion. Leave the stated space between them so the pastries have room to expand.

Smooth the tips: A damp fingertip can gently flatten any peaks left when you lift the bag. This helps the puffs bake with a more even shape.

Getting the bake right

First stage: Bake at 200°C for 15 minutes to give the puffs their initial rise. Keep the oven door closed while they bake.

Second stage: Lower the heat to 175°C and continue for 12–15 minutes, until the tops are golden brown. Cool the puffs completely on a rack before filling.

Whipping and filling

Cold cream: Start with the double cream straight from the fridge, then whisk it with the icing sugar and vanilla to medium peaks. This gives it enough body to pipe into the pastries.

Fill carefully: Make a small hole in the base of each cooled puff and pipe in the cream. Cutting the puffs in half and filling them like sandwiches is an alternative if you prefer the filling to show.

Serving ideas

A light dusting of icing sugar finishes the puffs just before serving. They work well as a small dessert after a meal or alongside coffee or tea.

For a larger dessert spread, serve them with fresh berries. Fill close to serving time so the pastry retains more of its crispness.

Recipe notes & tips

• Measure the flour before you begin so it is ready to add all at once.
• Add the beaten egg gradually and stop when the dough is glossy and pipeable.
• Keep the oven door closed during both stages of baking.
• Leave the puffs to cool fully before adding the cream.
• Use a fine sieve to dust the icing sugar evenly over the finished puffs.

Variations

• Citrus cream: Add a little finely grated lemon or orange zest to the cream before whipping.
• Chocolate finish: Drizzle melted chocolate over the filled puffs instead of dusting them with icing sugar.
• Coffee cream: Mix a little cooled, strong coffee into the cream before whipping.
• Berry filling: Add a few small pieces of fresh berry to the cream as you fill each puff.
• Vanilla pod: Use the scraped seeds of a split vanilla pod in place of the vanilla extract.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Adding all the egg at once: The dough can become too loose, so add it gradually and check the texture as you go.
• Under-drying the dough: It may not take up the egg well; cook it against the pan for about 1 minute until it looks slightly dry.
• Opening the oven: A sudden drop in heat can affect the rise, so keep the door shut throughout baking.
• Filling warm puffs: The cream can soften or melt, so let the pastries cool completely first.
• Filling too early: The pastry can lose its crispness, so pipe in the cream shortly before serving.

How to store

Store unfilled puffs in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day, or freeze them for longer storage. Keep filled puffs covered in the fridge and eat within a day; the pastry will soften as it sits. To refresh unfilled puffs, warm them briefly in the oven and cool before filling.

Frequently asked questions