Creme Brulee Creme Puffs
Equipment
- Medium saucepan
- Whisk
- Heatproof spatula or wooden spoon
- Mixing Bowls
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Baking Sheet
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
- Large piping bag
- Large round piping tip (or cut tip)
- Small paring knife or skewer
- Candy thermometer (helpful but optional)
- Cooling rack
Ingredients
French Vanilla Pastry Cream
- Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk
- 6 large egg yolks
- 1/3 cup white sugar
- 4 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla bean
- 3/4 cup heavy cream 1/4 cup added before chill, 1/2 cup whipped and folded into chilled pastry cream
Choux Pastry (Crème Puff Shells)
- Ingredients
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 8 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 5 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
Crème Brûlée Caramel Topping
- Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
Make the French Vanilla Pastry Cream
- In a medium saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat until steaming but not boiling. Remove from heat.
- In a bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until pale and smooth.
- Whisk in the cornstarch until fully combined and lump-free.
- Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg mixture while whisking constantly to prevent curdling.
- Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking continuously.
- Cook until thickened and bubbling, about 3–5 minutes. Whip quickly as it begins to thicken.
- Turn off the heat and add 1/4 cup of heavy cream, whisking until combined.
- Completely remove from heat and stir in the vanilla bean paste.
- Transfer pastry cream to a bowl, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface, and refrigerate until completely chilled (2 hours).
- Once chilled, whip the other 1/2 cup of heavy cream to soft peaks and gently fold it into the pastry cream until smooth and fluffy.
Bake the Creme Puffs
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a saucepan, combine milk, water, butter, sugar, and salt. Bring to a rolling boil.
- Reduce heat to low and add flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a spatula until a smooth dough forms and pulls away from the sides.
- Continue cooking the dough for 1–2 minutes to remove excess moisture.
- Transfer dough to a mixing bowl and let cool for 5 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing fully after each addition. The dough should be thick, smooth, and pipeable.
- Mix in vanilla.
- Pipe or scoop large mounds (about 3 inches wide) onto the baking sheet, spacing well apart.
- Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake an additional 15–20 minutes until deeply golden and puffed.
- Turn off the oven, crack the door, and let shells sit for 10 minutes before removing.
- Cool completely on a rack.
- In a saucepan, combine sugar and water. Do not stir.
- Cook over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture turns amber, about 10–15 minutes.
- Remove from heat immediately once a deep golden color forms.
- Let cool slightly until thick but still pourable.
Assemble the Crème Puffs
- Use a knife or skewer to make a small hole in the bottom or side of each puff.
- Fill a piping bag with the vanilla pastry cream and fill each puff generously.
- Hold each filled puff upside down and carefully dip the top into the caramel.
- Place caramel-side up on parchment and allow to set completely (10–15 minutes).
Notes
Storage
- Best enjoyed the same day.
- Filled (without caramel): refrigerate up to 24 hours.
- Once caramel is added, serve within 2–3 hours for best crunch.
Beginner Tips
- Don’t open the oven during the first bake stage.
- Caramel is very hot — work carefully.
- Large puffs need full baking time to prevent collapsing.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!