Ingredients
Choux Pastry (Puffs):
1/2 cup (120 ml) water
1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk
8 tbsp (115 g) unsalted butter
1 tsp granulated sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
4 large eggs (at room temperature)
Vanilla Cream Filling:
1 1/2 cups (360 ml) heavy whipping cream (cold)
1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
(Optionally, fold into 1 cup of cooled vanilla pastry cream/pudding for extra structure)
Dusting:
2 tbsp powdered sugar
Instructions
1. Make the Choux Pastry Dough:
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a saucepan, combine water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt. Bring to a rolling boil over medium heat.
Reduce heat to low, add all the flour at once, and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until a smooth dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the pan (about 1–2 minutes).
Transfer dough to a mixing bowl and let cool for 5 minutes.
2. Add the Eggs:
Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing fully after each addition. The mixture will look separated at first, but keep beating until it becomes smooth, glossy, and holds its shape.
3. Pipe and Bake:
Transfer dough into a piping bag fitted with a large star or round tip.
Pipe 2-inch wide mounds onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between them.
Lightly wet your fingertip with water to smooth down any sharp peaks on top.
Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 20 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake for another 10–15 minutes until golden brown and hollow-sounding. Do not open the oven door during the first 20 minutes.
Turn off the oven, crack the door slightly, and let the shells sit inside for 10 minutes to dry out. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. Prepare the Filling:
In a chilled bowl, beat heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.
5. Assemble:
Slice the cooled choux shells horizontally using a serrated knife.
Pipe or spoon the whipped cream generously onto the bottom halves.
Replace the top halves and dust generously with powdered sugar before serving.