Strawberry Cream Puffs

I opened a restaurant in 2010, and since nobody on the staff was a baker, I became the pastry chef by default. I hardly had any experience making dessert, so I had to quickly learn my way around the sweet side of the menu. I decided that one of the first things I needed to know was how to make choux pastry, the crisp shell base of many desserts, from hazelnut mocha eclairs to profiteroles and strawberry cream puffs.

Choux dough sounds intimidating (and looks like it if you watch any baking shows). But it’s easy to make with the most basic ingredients: butter, sugar, salt, water, flour and eggs. For professional-looking strawberry cream puffs, consider using a piping bag to shape the dough. Bring your eggs to room temperature so they blend into the dough better, and use your favorite wooden spoon for easy mixing. Once you have the recipe down, be sure to play around with creative fillings and toppings options.

Ingredients for Strawberry Cream Puffs

JONATHAN MELENDEZ

• Butter: The recipe doesn’t specify, but bakers generally use unsalted butter when making choux dough. You can always taste a little snippet of cooked dough before beating in the eggs, and add additional salt if you’d like.
• Sugar: Plain old granulated sugar will give your pastry shells a hint of sweetness. A sprinkle of confectioners’ sugar atop the finished treats gives them a polished look.
• Salt: If you’re using kosher salt rather than table salt, you may want to double the amount—the coarser grains take up more airspace in your measuring spoon, so you get less salt per scoop. Be careful, though, because some taste saltier than others.
• Flour: All-purpose flour is the gold standard for cream-puff pastry.
• Eggs: For this recipe, choose large Grade A eggs. If you have time, bring them to room temperature before mixing them into the dough; half an hour on the counter should usually be enough.
• Strawberries: Ripe, fresh summer strawberries are ideal for the whipped cream filling, but serviceable strawberries can be found year-round.
• Whipping cream: It’s OK to use either heavy cream or whipping cream here. If you can find it, heavy cream has a higher fat content and slightly denser texture, which is a benefit in a filled dessert such as this.
• Mint: Although it’s optional, a garnish of mint leaves makes this dessert extra pretty and adds a refreshing zing.

Directions

Step 1: Make the pastry dough

Preheat your oven to 400ºF. In a large saucepan, bring water, butter, sugar and salt to a boil. Add flour all at once and stir until the dough forms a smooth ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Remove the saucepan from the heat and beat in the eggs, one at a time. Continue beating until the mixture is smooth and shiny.

Editor’s Tip: Let the dough cool for a few minutes before you start adding the eggs. Also, crack each egg into a small bowl before adding it to the pot. You can remove any shell bits before dumping the egg into the dough.

Step 2: Bake the cream puff shells

Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls two inches apart on a large ungreased baking sheet (make ten). Bake them for about 35 minutes or until they’re golden brown and firm to the touch. Let them cool on a wire rack.

Editor’s Tip: If you have a pastry bag, you can pipe out consistent-looking puffs.

Step 3: Make the filling

In a small bowl, combine the berries and 1/4 cup sugar. Chill them for 30 minutes. In another bowl, beat the cream and remaining sugar until stiff.

Editor’s Tip: Chill the bowl beforehand for the best whipped cream.

Step 4: Assemble the cream puffs

Just before serving, cut the tops off of the puffs. Combine the berries and cream mixture. Fill puffs with cream and replace the tops. Sprinkle them with confectioners’ sugar, and serve them with additional berries and mint leaves.

JONATHAN MELENDEZ

Strawberry Cream Puffs Variations

• Use other berries: Any kind of berry is excellent in a cream puff. Once you master the strawberry version, try making them with raspberries, blueberries or chopped cherries.
• Try a different filling: Sweetened whipped cream is light and lovely, but I’m a sucker for the richness of pastry cream. You can also fill cream puffs with your favorite pudding recipe or a stirred custard.
• Add a topping: Drizzle your puffs with a glaze for something extra. I like to use chocolate ganache, but lemon glaze would be nice, too.

How to Store Strawberry Cream Puffs

Fully assembled cream puffs don’t store well. For one thing, the whipped cream will soften over time, and filled puffs will grow soggy. If you can, store the choux pastry and cream separately, and build your puffs as needed. If you end up with extras, keep them in the fridge in an airtight container.

How long do strawberry cream puffs last?

Assembled cream puffs will start declining in quality overnight, but in terms of safety, they will be good to eat for three days to four if stored in the fridge. When unassembled, store the pastry shells in a container on the counter and refrigerate the cream filling; they’ll last for three to four days.

Can you freeze cream puffs?

You can freeze cooked choux pastry shells for up to three months, but you won’t want to freeze filled cream puffs. To freeze the pastry, use a rigid, airtight container to avoid crushing the delicate puffs.

Strawberry Cream Puffs Tips

JONATHAN MELENDEZ

Can you use frozen strawberries in strawberry cream puffs?

Yes, with one caveat: Frozen strawberries are pretty juicy, and the liquid can cause the whipped cream to deflate. Thaw frozen strawberries in a strainer over a bowl, catch the juice as they thaw, and save it for a fruit salad or other dessert. You can even blot them gently with a paper towel to remove more moisture. Then, slice the thawed strawberries and proceed as directed.

Why did my puffs deflate in the oven?

Choux pastry is leavened by the steam created as the dough heats up. If your oven isn’t hot enough, the dough will expand and then collapse in on itself rather than form a nice shell. This makes it extra important to preheat your oven and open the door as briefly as possible when you put the puffs in the oven. Resist the urge to check on the puffs until they’ve cooked for at least 20 minutes. If the pastry puffs don’t look crisp when the time is up, leave them in the oven for a few extra minutes.

How do you keep cream puffs from getting soggy?

The best way to prevent cream puffs with strawberries from getting soggy is to fill them right before eating them, not in advance. If you’re storing unfilled puffs, keep them in an airtight container.