Belgian Cream Puffs

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 cup (240ml) water
• 1/4 cup (60ml) whole milk
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 4 whole large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 cups (480ml) heavy whipping cream, very cold
• 3 tbsp powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar), sifted
• 1.5 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp powdered sugar, for dusting

Instructions

1. 1

   Position two oven racks in the upper-middle and lower-middle positions of your oven and preheat to 400°F (200°C). Line both baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Take your 4 eggs out of the refrigerator now — room-temperature eggs incorporate into the dough more smoothly and help the puffs rise higher.

2. 2

   Measure out all choux ingredients before you begin cooking — this recipe moves fast once the butter melts. Cube the butter into 1/2-inch pieces so it melts evenly. Sift the flour directly onto a large sheet of parchment or into a bowl so you can add it all at once in one swift motion — this is critical for a lump-free dough.

3. 3

   Combine the butter, water, milk, granulated sugar, and kosher salt in the 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir gently with the wooden spoon as the butter melts. Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil — you'll see vigorous bubbles breaking the surface and steam rising aggressively. This should take 3–4 minutes. Do not walk away: once it boils, you move immediately.

4. 4

   The moment the mixture reaches a full boil, remove the pan from the heat and dump in ALL of the flour at once. Immediately stir vigorously with the wooden spoon in tight circles, pressing the dough against the sides of the pan. Within about 30 seconds, the dough should pull away from the sides and form a smooth, cohesive ball that is no longer sticky. Return the pan to medium heat and continue stirring and pressing the dough for 1–2 more minutes until a thin, dry film forms on the bottom of the pan — this is called 'drying out' the dough and is essential for a hollow, crisp puff. The dough should feel dry to the touch and not leave residue on your finger.

5. 5

   Transfer the hot dough to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large bowl if using a hand mixer). Beat on medium speed for 1 minute to release steam and cool the dough slightly — you want it below 150°F (65°C) on an instant-read thermometer before adding eggs, so the eggs don't scramble. The dough will look dry and crumbly at this stage — that is perfectly normal.

6. 6

   With the mixer running on medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, waiting about 30 seconds between each addition and making sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. The dough will look broken and slippery at first after each egg — keep mixing and it will come back together. After the 4th egg, the dough should be smooth, shiny, and hold a slow, lazy 'V-shape' ribbon when you lift the paddle and let it fall back into the bowl. If you scoop some up and drag your finger through it, the channel should hold its shape. If the dough is still too stiff after 4 eggs, beat in 1 additional egg white only.

7. 7

   Transfer the dough into a piping bag fitted with a large round 1/2-inch tip (or a large zip-lock bag with one bottom corner snipped off to create a 1/2-inch hole). Holding the piping bag perpendicular (straight down) 1/2-inch above the parchment, pipe mounds approximately 1.5 inches in diameter and 1 inch tall, leaving 2 inches of space between each puff — they will double in size. You should get about 24 puffs across both trays. If any dough forms a little peak or tail on top, wet your fingertip with water and gently press it down flat so the puffs bake evenly round.

8. 8

   Bake both trays in the preheated 400°F oven for 20 minutes without opening the oven door — opening the door early releases steam and the puffs will collapse. After 20 minutes, the puffs should be puffed, golden, and just starting to brown. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C), swap the trays between racks (top goes to bottom, bottom goes to top), and continue baking for another 10–15 minutes until the puffs are deep golden brown all over, feel very light and hollow when you pick one up, and sound slightly hollow when you tap the bottom. The internal temperature of a fully baked puff should read about 190–200°F (88–93°C).

9. 9

   Remove the puffs from the oven. Immediately use a sharp knife or skewer to poke a small hole (about 1/4 inch) in the side of each puff — this allows trapped steam to escape and prevents the shells from going soggy as they cool. Transfer the puffs to a wire cooling rack and allow them to cool completely to room temperature, at least 30 minutes. Do not fill warm puffs or the cream will melt.

10. 10

    While the puffs cool, place your large mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for 10 minutes — a cold bowl keeps cream whipping efficiently. Pour the very cold heavy cream into the chilled bowl. Beat on medium-high speed until the cream begins to thicken and soft peaks form, about 2–3 minutes. Add the sifted powdered sugar and vanilla extract, then increase to high speed and whip until stiff peaks form — when you lift the whisk, the cream should stand up in firm, glossy, upright peaks that don't flop over, about 1–2 more minutes. Stop immediately at stiff peaks; over-whipping turns cream to butter. Transfer the whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with a star or round tip.

11. 11

    Using the small serrated knife, cut each cooled puff horizontally about one-third of the way from the top, creating a lid and a larger base. If there are any soft, doughy strands of uncooked choux inside, gently pull them out with your fingers — this ensures maximum room for filling.

12. 12

    Insert the tip of the filled piping bag into the base of each puff and pipe a generous, swirling mound of whipped cream, filling the hollow interior and letting a pillowy dome of cream rise above the rim. Press the top lid gently back on at a slight angle so the cream peeks out invitingly.

13. 13

    Arrange the assembled cream puffs on a serving platter. Using a fine mesh sieve or sifter, dust the tops generously with powdered sugar for a beautiful snow-white finish. Serve immediately for the crispest shells, or refrigerate uncovered for up to 2 hours before serving. After 2 hours, the shells will begin to soften slightly from the cream moisture — still delicious but less crisp. Unfilled baked shells can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day or frozen for up to 1 month; re-crisp in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes before filling.

Tools you’ll need

• medium heavy-bottomed saucepan (2-quart)
• wooden spoon
• stand mixer or hand mixer with whisk attachment
• large mixing bowl
• piping bag with large round tip (1/2-inch opening) or large zip-lock bag
• piping bag with star tip for filling
• 2 rimmed baking sheets (18x13 inch)
• parchment paper
• rubber spatula
• instant-read thermometer
• wire cooling rack
• small sharp serrated knife
• measuring cups and spoons
• kitchen scale

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