Easy 20 Minute Cream Puff Recipe - Sizzling Eats (2024)

FAQs

Is milk or water better for cream puffs? ›

Water makes a lighter and crisper cream puff, where milk makes a softer puff that is not as crisp. It provides a little more flavor and helps the puff brown a little more.

Why did my cream puffs collapse? If the puffs collapse it means there was too much moisture in them. So either you did not dry the dough enough, or they were not cooked enough. To avoid this I recommend drying the dough really well (see below) and cracking the door of the oven open when the choux are baked.

The first is that you may not have cooked out the moisture enough. Make sure you give it a full 2 minutes on the stove. The second is that there is no way for the steam to escape when the puffs are baked. To avoid this I poke a hole in the side of each puff with a knife as soon as they come out to let the steam out.

Returning puffs to a turned-off oven after they've baked helps keep them crisp.

To understand why choux is twice-cooked, it's important to know that choux needs lots of moisture: it's the steam generated by its high water content that causes it to swell and puff so much (there's no baking soda, baking powder, yeast, beaten egg whites, or any other leavening agent to help give it extra lift).

Choux pastries (i.e. cream puffs, eclairs, etc.) won't rise if the oven temperature is too low. For the pastries to rise properly, the temperature needs to be really high at first so that the steam builds up inside of the dough and causes them to rise and hollow out.

Without the right consistency, they either won't rise or they won't set. Dough that's too dry won't have the steam power to lift the cream puffs, and they won't form a hollow center. Dough that's too wet won't be able to harden in time to hold that puffed shape.

Bake until puffs rise and are golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Do the cream puffs needs to be refrigerated? Yes they do. They can stay out for about 4 hours but then need to be refrigerated.

Choux Pastry can be used in anything from cream puffs, profiteroles, and eclairs to churros, croquembouche, French cruller donuts, choux beignets, and gougères! It only takes about 10 minutes to prepare and the options for filling and shaping are endless.

Why should you not use a greased pan for cream puffs? ›

Preheat oven to 420 degrees F. Either line a baking sheet with parchment paper or with the non-stick baking mat. NOTE: Do not grease baking sheet, as the grease will cause the dough to flatten.

Craquelin is a type of Belgian brioche that is filled with nib sugar. Sugar pieces are flavoured with orange, lemon, vanilla, or almond essence, then inserted into the dough before cooking. They melt and cool, leaving gaps encrusted in sugar.

The main differences between the three include the shape and serving method. Eclairs: Oblong choux pastry filled with cream and topped with a glaze or icing. Cream Puffs: Round choux pastry puffs filled with pastry cream and topped with icing or dusted with powdered sugar.

Can they be made ahead of time? Yes, you can make these cream puffs 2-3 days in advance. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can also make the pastry cream a day or two ahead of time; just be sure to keep it cold in the fridge in an airtight container.

Potential reasons for each fault include insufficient cooling, eggs added too quickly, not beating the mixture enough, incorrect baking temperature or time, insufficient baking, and allowing the liquid to cool too much before adding flour.

Choux pastry has two important stages. First you cook it and then you bake it. For the liquid, you can use water or milk or a combination of both. We choose the combination of both because this way you get a nice color and tender bite, but the extra water also allows for baking at a slightly higher temperature.

Give them a poke or a little slit with a sharp paring knife. Return them to the oven (turned off) and crack the oven door with a wooden spoon. Let the puffs sit there and bask in their beauty for about 15 to 30 minutes. You want them dry and cool in the oven.

There are multiple reasons why cream puffs may deflate. The first cause is undercooking. When preparing dough on the stovetop, be sure to keep cooking and stirring until a film forms on the bottom of the saucepan. Another cause of flat cream puffs is lowering the temperature during baking.

Water and butter: fats provides tenderness to the cream puff. However, too much fat will interfere with gluten production making your cream puff collapse. It is important to bring the water and butter mixture to a full boil before adding the flour as heat is necessary to swell the starch granules in the flour.