How to Make Cream Puffs
Cream puffs are a classic French pastry that look impressive but are surprisingly simple to make at home. They are made from pâte à choux, a light pastry dough that puffs up into hollow shells in the oven, and filled with sweetened whipped cream or pastry cream. Here is a step-by-step guide for making cream puffs from scratch. Gather your ingredients: For the pâte à choux, you will need 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, 1 cup water, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 cup all-purpose flour, and 4 large eggs. For the filling, you will need 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, 1/4 cup powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. You will also need a large saucepan, a wooden spoon, a piping bag fitted with a large round tip (or a zip-top bag with the corner cut off), and a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Make the pâte à choux: Begin by preheating your oven to 425°F (220°C). In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, water, and salt and bring to a rolling boil over medium heat. Once the butter is ful...