While everyone and anyone consumes themselves with making red-velvet-this and chocolate-covered-strawberry-that for the next five days.
I’m going to see the world through shades-of-cream-puff eyes.
Beige on beige is the new pink, after all. With powdered sugar on top.
A crisp pate a choux shell surrounding a lusciously creamy vanilla rum custard…
The weight of years of Italian history coursing through your fingertips and out of your piping bag as puff after puff appears on a sheet of parchment paper…
I know Italian is the language of love. But for real. Could anything be more romantic?
Hmmm? What’s that?
The thought of making a pastry dough that doesn’t even have an English name is keeping you up at night and driving you to do crazy things like eat a pound of brussels sprouts at dinner last night?
Join the club. And pull up a stand mixer.
Because it is way easier than you think. Faster than mixing up and rolling out a batch of red velvet cake balls (talk about busy work). And almost as straightforward as dipping blushing berries into a chocolate shell.
Actually. Leave the stand mixer at home.
This is old school kinda stuff. We’re doing this Italian grandma style. Elbow-deep.
I made these as a tribute to my grandfather, because even though I couldn’t bring him back for my father. I could feed him something to remember him by.
These are traditionally only served on St. Joseph’s Day (March 19th.), a day that is celebrated with extreme fanfare and lots of desserts in Italian culture (St. Joseph was the patron saint of pastry chefs…quite fitting given my grandfather’s love of sweets), which means you can’t find them at an Italian bakery when you’re having a random cream puff craving in the middle of February.
My grandfather’s name was Joseph and while we never celebrated a single other saint’s day ever in our lives (and there is one to celebrate every weekend if you so desire), we always bought and ate St. Joseph’s Day pastries, these cream puffs, on St. Joseph’s day. It was a way to honor him, even while he was still alive.
So while they were perfect this past weekend, as we celebrated his life, I think they’d also be pretty ideal for Valentine’s Day. If you’re so inclined to think outside the red velvet box that is.
Nothing against red velvet (it is going to be my wedding cake, after all). But making a cream puff for your cream puff. Is so sickeningly cheesy romantic. That you kinda have to do it.
For more Valentine’s-friendly dessert ideas, check out this feature on Fox News’s iMag, where they’re featuring three of my recipes!
Also, if you pick up a copy of Rachael Ray’s magazine this month, you might see a familiar face within it’s pages….(cough mine cough).
- 2¾ cups unbleached AP flour
- ⅛ tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 2 cups water
- 9½ tbsp butter
- 6 large eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- 3 cups whole milk
- 4 egg yolks
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp rum
- Preheat oven to 425. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Sift the flour, salt, and baking soda together and set aside.
- In a heavy saucepan, heat the water. Add the butter. When melted, remove the pan from the stove and add the flour mixture all at once. Beat with a wooden spoon, then return the pan to medium-high heat, beating the mixture until it comes away from the sides of the pan. Remove the pan from the heat and add the eggs one at a time, beating with a wooden spoon or hand mixer in-between additions to mix well.
- Fill a pastry bag fitted with a ½-inch tip with the cream puff batter. Squeeze out 3-inch puffs, about ½ inch apart on a cookie sheet. Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown. When done, carefully slit the side of each cream puff with a knife to allow steam to escape and to prevent the puffs from becoming soggy inside. Transfer to cooling racks and let cool.
- In saucepan over moderate heat, combine sugar, flour and salt. Add milk gradually, cooking and stirring until mixture is thick and bubbly.
- Lower heat, stirring for 2 minutes and remove from heat. In a small bowl, add cream mixture to eggs slowly. Return mixture back to pan. Bring to gently boil for 2 more minutes, adding butter, rum, and vanilla. Tranfer to a shallow bowl to cool, placing plastic wrap on the top of the custard to prevent a skin forming. Refrigerate.
- Once custard has cooled completely, pipe into opened pastry shells until they are so full they might pop, top with a cherry, and dust with powdered sugar.
These are gorgeous! And what a wonderful tribute to your grandfather. Congratulations on your magazine features! Awesome!!
I would take this over chocolate covered strawberries any day! Very sweet post
can I roll up my sleeves and come over to make (or just eat) this?! Looks great!
I would like to help & then EAT TOO!!
Joanne, I love the tribute to your grandpa. I also learned how to make cream puffs from my grandmother – she told me it was her emergency dessert and I put it to the test! No stand mixer required! Love your version. 🙂
I will have to check out that mag.. Kudos to being in it!!! If you have a scanned copy please share it with me! 🙂
Love the trubute! and you know! look amazing Joanne! look great
Totally love this post!!! Love that you have this sweet tribute to your grandfather. AND, I am all for any Saints day that involves pastry!
This really is a perfect tribute to your grandfather!
Immediately checking out your Fox recipes (!!!) and can NOT wait to get my hands on that Rachael Ray mag!!!!!!!!!!
Lovely tribute to your grandpa! The pastries look fantastic! Cool about the magazine.
You’ve outdone yourself with these, they are stunning and I’m sure just as delicious as they look. Congrats on your publicity, how exciting!
I just put down my breakfast plate and now I want one of these – looks fantastic. I don’t eat a lot of sweets but custard filled pastry in one of my favorites – it’s been years since I’ve had one though.
You done your grandfather proud, and you can always make these again in a month! So I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but um…who cares about the pastry…you’re in Fox News’s iMag AND Rachel Ray’s magazine?? Dude.
Very impressed with your pastry skills! Pinning 🙂
What’s the deal with red velvet anyway? I’d much rather have one (who am I kidding? I’d go for at least 5) of these beauties 🙂
These look amazing! Do you deliver? 🙂 I’ll have to get my hands on a copy of RR’s magazine if you’re featured!
Like the elbow deep one 🙂
Wow, what a big month for you! I bet your grandfather would be so proud. And not only because of these delicious looking cream puffs!
These are beautiful!
just so yummy
Delphine
wait, you just slipped that part in there about rachel ray magazine… CONGRATS!! that is so cool, i’ll have to try to search that out 🙂 and i’ll take one of these pastries, please!!
Gorgeous! Gorgeous! I love pastry puffs…especially with a rich and creamy filling. I may have to make something like this for my sister. She flies into Austin tonight, and she loves sweets like this. Thank you for sharing, sweet girl. I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Hugs and love from Austin.
What a beautiful tribute to your grandpa. I always do the same when I want to remember my dad – I cook meals he would love. Congrats on the RR mag – I will look for you.
Yayyy for not needing a hand mixer!! I love that this is a tribute to your grandfather. And I love that there’s a teensy bit of rum in the custard 😉
Go Joanne go! Congrats on the magazine feature–I know it’s well-deserved! And if cream puffs shipped well I’d demand that you ship me some asap. Unfortunately they’d probably get crushed and destroyed on their merry way to Chicago, so you’re off the hook . . . this time.
Jenna, used to buy these in Chicago all the time, couldn’t wait for March to arrive. They have them on Harlem Ave. at Domino’s Bakery.
Cara mia! Those are some beautiful cream puffs my dear. I would happily accept one or two for Valentine’s Day. 😉
I am making these and if nobody wants to help me eat them… oh, well.
Good tribute. And this looks really yum. I could choose this over pink cupcakes anyway, or any cupcake for that matter.
That is so fantastic that they picked 3 of your recipes! Congratulations!!
Cream Puffs… yep they sound like a perfect treat to share with a sweetie-pie on Valentine’s Day!
Woah Lady! Congrats on all the features. SO proud! And I’m more than happy to see the world through cream puff eyes 🙂
Nice tribute to your grandfather. My grandfather actually also passed away last month. I have so many good foodie memories of him
These look amazing. And I absolutely love your reason for making them. Funny that they remind you and your dad of your grandfather, it’s my grandmother that me and my dad would think of if I made these. She was a baker and made such amazing cream puffs on a regular basis, every time I see one I think of her 😀 Congrats on your magazine feature(s?), that’s awesome!
What a great way to honor your grandfather! I am sure it made your dad feel good that you made these. I would much rather have this beautiful treat than red velvet anything!
Wow! You’re famous! I’m so proud :). My grandfather’s name was Joseph too (along with my dad, brother, cousin, etc) This is a nice way to honor him.
Beige on beige looks good to me! Congrats on the feature..you’re famous! 🙂 Have a great weekend, love!
I love you. These look PERFECT and cream puffs are my favorite pastry!–well, tied with eclairs of course 😉
Oh gosh…I really can’t think of anything more romantic than these cream puffs. Your choux pastry looks so light and fluffy, flaky and wonderful. Can’t wait to try this one.
You are an enchantress. I am thoroughly under a cream puff spell. I thought I’d have to wait until my trip to NYC to have these – but no – you went and gave me the recipe.
Your cream puffs sound delicious. This is my favorite sweet treat and I’ve sampled these all over the world. Yours are right up there with the best of them. have a great day. Blessings…Mary
Absolutely gorgeous pastries.
Ooo these look delicious, perfect and way too tempting!
OK I finally have the time to comment on this. I saw your post this morning. On my Kindle. When I was eating a boring bowl of cereal. ALL I WANTED WAS TO EAT MY SCREEN. Someday in the not-so-near future, I will be able to highlight any picture on your blog and the press “Real Life Sample” below it, and a freakin’ cream puff will literally emerge from my kindle and into my face.
I read this post earlier while at work. A co-worker sitting next to me began talking to me and apparently I completely ignored her. Why? Because I was practically drooling at these photos and lost complete track of where I was and what I was doing. They look AMAZING!! 🙂
oh man, that is one sexy cream puff. Hmmm, I think I’ve been called that before! nevermind, back to you! I’m so excited to have a few mins to be reading your blog again Joanne … u have no idea how happy ur writing makes me! and bravo to u for all your success! now then … about this cream puff .. ur ancestors would be proud .. molto delicioso! (did I get that right?? I’m a wannabe Italian. And a wannabe French. The list goes on!)
I want one of those cream puffs and I want one NOW!!! Joanne, they look fantastic!
I absolutely love cream puffs. By the looks of this cream puff, it definitely beats out the one I had from Beard Papa’s and those small wannabe cream puffs from Sam’s Club.
You’re in Rachael Ray Mag?! That is too awesome! 😛
this looks like my kind of pastry – and I love that it is such a wonderful connection with your grandfather (though I am glad that my grandparents are remembered with scones which are easier!). Congrats on some media attention – well deserved
This looks incredibly pretty and delicious, love the piped custard. You really are a marvel in the kitchen, Joanne!
Well, haven’t you hit the big time celebrity circuit! Good for you. You’re in RR’s magazine. I didn’t renew my subscription, but now I’m curious to know what was written out you. I’m tired of all the pink and red. I say cream puffs are perfect. Love ’em. It’s been decades since I’ve made them, but have been thinking of them longingly. Your culinary prowess is growing, my dear. You are making great strides in Blogsphere, and I’m applauding you.
Oh man, these look amazing!!!
I officially hate you.
Dear Joanne, You have brought back many good memories for me with this post,the feast of Saint Joseph. I made many cream puffs with my mom growing up. Those are wonderful memories. These cream puffs look wonderfully delicious.
Congratulations on the Rachel Ray and the Fox News. Blessings my dear, Catherine xo
You are a devil woman, Joanne! Nothing about these is the least bit healthy, but after seeing picture after picture of these gorgeous little beauties, I now want to make cream puffs and devour each and every one of them. Actually what I want to do is just make a big batch of the custard and sit down with it in front of my television, watching Real Housewives and spooning every bit of it into my mouth while calling all the women of Orang County skanky skinny bi-otches. Now that sounds like a fun time to me 🙂
oh my gosh, these might be the tastiest looking things i’ve seen all day, and they’re SO PRETTY! forget chocolate, i want one of these. i love that they’re a tribute to your grandpa too, just lovely.
i’m so excited to see you in RR magazine!! i’m picking one up for sure!
I am torn between offering truly heartfelt condolences and hugely well deserved congratulations. Take your pick…they are both freely given.
These look good but WHAT?!?! Rachael RAY!? How flipping cool is that. You go girl! I will have to snag me a copy :o) Congrats on the win!
These make my whole world go ’round! Love this!
I’ve had cream puffs on the brain too, and recently made them with a Nutella filling, but these are next for St. joseph’s Day.
I’m too excited about you being in Rachael Ray’s magazine to comment on the cream puffs yet–that is so cool! You are toooo cool for school. 🙂 Cream puffs are another bucket list recipe for me. I don’t know why I haven’t ade them yet. Yours look so professional, and I love the custard filling you made!
This looks so decadent that I’m almost nervous, but I do want to eat it. Yes I do.
These look amazing! I love anything with a custard filling!
These are so gorgeous. I love custard puffs. I haven’t made anything chocolate or red velvet either. I’ve been make vanilla slice and melting moments – so delicious I think they classify as romantic. Love your images – your custard puff looks so perfect.
Gorgeous. My husband would be much happier to eat these than a red velvet anything!
This is a wonderful way to remember your grandfather. Food is an incredibly evocative way to call back special memories of loved ones. Such a special thing to do for your dad, too.
And I’ll have to check out Rachael Ray!! Seriously, that is so cool!
that looks beyond spectacular!
Rachel Ray’s magazine and Fox News iMag, congratulation!!!!!
Perfect custard puff.
It has been ages since I’ve made cream puffs! Although I’m still trying to decide if I’m going to make Valentine’s Day dessert or just let the husband pick something up.
You did NOT just make cream puffs!?!?!? Beautiful Joanne and love the post.
Oh man – these look sooo good. Especially as I’m sitting here having my morning coffee.
this is belated, but i’m so sorry about the loss of your grandfather. i’m sure he’d be happy to know you are keeping the sweet-alution alive with these cream puffs 🙂 they look fabulous.
These look perfect! And a HUGE congrats on both of your features, that is awesome!!!
wonderful post Joanna! oh I didnt know it was st.josephs day. the cream puffs are a nice way to remember ur grandfather.
huh your wedding is coming up? when? =))
Those are GORGEOUS!
Oh wow! I have a new found appreciation for “beige on beige”..Delicious!!!
Velva
I’m in! All you had to say was vanilla rum custard.
Oh Lord, I should never have checked in with you today!! 🙂
And you even made a REAL pastry cream to go inside! So many people use the dreaded whipped cream. (gag)
Love this, Joanne.
These are so beautiful! And congrats of the feature 😀
I totally need to make cream puffs! These are gorgeous
I like your approach to Valentine’s Day- This look amazing. Reminds me that I still need to fine-tune my cream puff recipe…
To make these more Valentine’s Day appropriate, I bet you could totally pipe the pat a choux into a heart 🙂 They look delish. And congrats on being in Rachel Ray’s magazine!!! Totally awesome.
HEYO!…and OhmygahdIneedthisnowplease
Wow, just got my RR issue in the mail today. It was super cool to see you in there. Congrats!
This is a super fitting tribute post for grandfather. Your pastries turned out perfectly, too. You are quite the baker!
These look so dangerous. And it’s the kind of danger I live for. 😉
I think I’d rather have a delicious looking cream puff than something died pink artificially… any day. These look divine.
Beautifully, deliciously photographed Joanne! And we were thinking in a similar groove, only mine was to fold fresh blueberries into whipped cream for my puffs. So what if they’re not pink or red.
Mmm, this looks fabulous. I’ll have to check out Rachael Ray this month!
These look so beautiful and delicious! That rum cream – wow. Congratulations on both features, Joanne!!!
I am speechless. These are beauties.
i like the amount of cream in your puff, joanne. proper proportions are very important to me. 🙂
Absolutely Delicious!!!
This is screaming perfection, I love custard filled almost everything…
And cream puffs are on top of the list…
Yumm….
Me encanta, es una receta deliciosa 😀
Un besito ^^
http://janakitchen.blogpost.com
I would prefer these over any chocolaty treat.
This has my name written all over it…I wish I had one now. I love this type of pastry. Yours looks amazing:)
Although I did make red velvet macs for V-day, I absolutely want to see things through shades-of-cream-puff eyes! Cream puffs are always a favorite and these look amazing, Joanne!
Such a sweet tribute to your Grandfather! They remind me of my Grandma – these were one of her specialties. Rachael Ray? I wouldn’t dream of even touching her magazine but if you’re in it – I’m there! And congrats!
Cream puffs are seriously one of my favorites. Say, are you still doing the regional recipe round up?
What a beautiful tribute 🙂 I did hear that about beige, its def making its way back.
Really wonderful tribute to your grandfather! They look great too. And congrats on the magazine…so exciting!
Oh Joanne, just when I think I can’t be any more proud of you!!! Hooray for the mag post and the FoxNews features! HOORAY! HOORAY! 🙂 Love that all these good things are in your life, especially in light of losing your beloved Grandpa. What a delicious tribute to him. 🙂
This look UNBELIEVABLE! Wow, I would die for one right now!!!
HEhehehe maybe cream puffs with red velvet strawberry this and that filling?
Yes please, they look soooo good, I’m impressed! 🙂
these are STUNNING. I would have totally messed these up if I tried!
ummm perfect cream puffs! time to make them again
First of all, I’d definitely take one of these babies for V-day. Happily!! And second – I finally had 2 extra minutes to flip through my RR mag this weekend and saw your beautiful face! AWESOME!!!
love these, rachel ray..awesome !!! way to go!!
These are such a great tribute to your grandfather and such perfect looking cream puffs. Congrats on the magazine and press too–that’s awesome. 😉
Joanne, could not take my eyes from this cream puff, very sweet of you dedicating this post to your grandfather…
I have not had cream puffs for age, and I want this one to be when I have a chance to have it.
By the way, love the cheesy romantic “making cream puff for your cream puff” 🙂
ohh girl you are so getting 5 stars on your foodie chart.
love that you did em old school–that is the ONLY way to go with cream filling.
when i make something as hard and delicate as these, i hate to give them away–all that hard work; so i make sure to give them to real foodies who will enjoy them with all those facial organisms.
I’ll take these over red, heart-shaped, frosted, sprinkled, (whatevered) treats any time. They look SO good.
Enjoyed that story. Food is often the best way to remember a loved one. I will admit it took me a while to get to that part because I didn’t want to scroll down and stop looking at the first picture. 🙂
Goodness! What a recipe and pic! I wanted to reach through my Laptop and grab it. :o). It is sooo refreshing to see something REAL! Thank you for the post.
That’s some Cream Puff Love there- those are gorgeous! Isn’t it wonderful that special foods can evoke such memories?
Give me one of these ahead of a red velvet cupcake any day – in fact why stop at just one? I would be lining up for two or three!! Lovely way to remember your grandfather.
Sue xo
The fact that you made these makes me want to bow down at your feet. But get up really fast because that would be super awkward.
I don’t know if anyone else knows that the red color used in red velvet cake and a lot of other desserts comes from crushed beetles that comes out red, yes crushed beetles!
I don’t know if anyone else knows but the color red used in red velvet cakes and other desserts with red coloring comes from crushed beetles yes, the juice that comes from cruhsed beetles!
I found this post though Pinterest. The photo was so beautiful that I just had to come here to read the recipe! Love it! And love your site :-).
I would like to invite you to share this post (and your other posts 🙂 ) on a new photo based recipe sharing site that launched in May. The idea is simple: all recipe photographs are published within minutes of submission. And, of course, the images link back to the author’s site.
It’s called RecipeNewZ (with Z) – http://recipenewz.com
I hope you get a chance to visit and to share some of your delicious posts with our viewers. It would be a pleasure to have you on board 🙂
Hi! I had a question about the recipe. You said 3/4 stick plus 3 1/2 tbsp butter, does that mean 3/4 of a stick of butter? or 3/4 C of stick butter? Thanks so much! I can’t wait to try this recipe out. I love cream puffs so much and there aren’t any good bakeries around where I live so I’ve gotten waaaaaay into baking!
Sondra – it’s 3/4 stick and then 3 1/2 tbsp in addition to that. I wrote it the way I did because the original recipe that I adapted it from used 3/4 stick butter and 3 1/2 tbsp shortening, which I didn’t want to use. So in total..it’s 9 1/2 tbsp butter.
I know you said use a 1/2 inch tip. Do you know what number that might be?
It’s Ateco 806!
Joanne – Thank you for the answer but Ateco 806 is, as you say, a plain open tip. It is clear from the pictures that there are all those lines on the cream puff. That is what I’m curious about….I love that the design is different than just a simple opened round tip. Thanks for any further help.
I made these tonight but didnt work worth a flip. 🙁 very disappointed in myself. Will be trying again tho. Is the batter for the puffs suppose to be really runny and watery? Mine was not really surw what happened but so far they have been a hit even tho they are more like cookies with a custard cream icing haha
With an English/French mum, I learned pate au choux at 6 yr old. Alas, with no Italian relatives/friends I ate pasta sauce from a mix and pizza from a very non-authetic place. Recent forays into baking have introduced me to a serious love of amaretti and Italian rum cream-filled pastries though not a fan of canolli. Will definitely add this to my repertoire. Luckily friends at the health club(!) love sweets or I’d roll down the street.
Hi! We’ll be baking at school next next week and our teacher decided that we’re going to bake cream puffs and I was wondering if it’s okay if I use normal all-purpose flour? And if there could be a replacement for rum since it’s not allowed in school. Thank you very much! I love your site!
Thanks so much for your comment! Yes, that flour is just normal all purpose flour (that’s what AP stands for). I tend to use unbleached but it really won’t make a difference in the taste or consistency if you decide to use bleached flour…it’s just a personal preference. And you can just leave the rum out of the pastry cream! It’s just traditional to use it in this Italian pastry but I’ve made it before without it and it still tastes great!
Let me know how they turn out!!
Hi again! Thank you for your reply! We’ll be baking on Sept. 16, and since your pictures of your cream puffs are just divine, we decided to use your recipe. I have another question though, when you say 2 3/4 cups of flour, does that mean, I use 2 cups of flour and then 3/4 cups of flour? I’m kind of confused on that part. Haha!
Yes! It is 2 cups + 3/4 cups (or 2.75 cups…same thing).
I just made these and they are awesome! Great recipe. I followed the recipe almost exactly except I left the rum out of the custard and added more vanilla. Delicious!
[…] ended up using the Italian Cream Puffs recipe from eats well with others. I halved the current recipe from the site because I didn’t want to make a lot but it turned […]
[…] Two years ago…Spaghetti in Tomato-Apple Sauce, Italian Cream Puffs with Custard Filling […]
I made these last night! I have made cream puffs before and so I thought I would give these a go!
The custard was delicious though the pastry sunk in and were very gooey and soggy even after slitting them. Out of the ones I made only perhaps 3 survived the setting process and they were very good.
So weird that they didn’t set up! Maybe they needed to be cooked longer??
I too was disappointed with the results. I’ve made puffs before never had them gooey. Need much longer baking time.
Ma queste sono zeppole di San Giuseppe !!!
Mais ce sont des beignets de St Joseph !!!
Woouuw !! St Joseph’s zeppole !!!
How did I not see this post years ago (I looked to see if I commented already, ’cause sometimes that happens :-)). These look awesome and I’m loving the old school approach.
When it comes to breakfast, I’m usually a savory girl. But this pastry. This pastry!!!! I am so going to try this recipe…
Is it okay if i only use 5 eggs??
Honestly, I’m not sure. Pastry like this can be a little finicky so it might turn out or it might not. I’ve never tried using fewer eggs, but if you end up trying it let me know how they turn out!
It turned out great! Thank you for this recipe!!
my parents are from Italy and my father’s name is Joseph as well. my mom still makes them for him every year. I also make cream puffs , but with another cream in them, came on to your website to try the italian cream for a filling in a cake. Sounds yummy!
Hello … they look amazing and I can’t wait to make this attempt, however, a silly question – how far in advance can they me made, and would room temp vs chilled be better. I feel like I’d like them a bit chilled with coffee. Thank you!
You can leave them un-filled in the fridge for a bit of time (48-36 hours), but I would not leave them in the fridge with the filling for more than a few hours otherwise they will get soggy!
And yes, they are the perfect coffee accompaniment!
Congrats on the publicity!!! Very exciting! But I’m more excited by these cream puffs at the moment. They look amazing!
This looks so gourgeous! I will definitely make it, they look amazing!! I love your blog!
[…] Italian Cream Puffs with Custard Filling from Eats Well With Others […]
I love your style, but i have one question , for custard which flour should i use?
Sounds like a yummy recipe! Wish you had pictures to go with the steps!
Hi, I just printed your fabulous recipe and can’t wait to try it! I just realized when I re-read your writing that my Father’s Birthday was also on March 19! He would have been 95! Died when he was 55. I have a feeling that this recipe will be delicious…I’ve been looking for a good custard filling recipe for years and am hoping this is it! Happy March 19th!
My 13 year old son is really into baking. He LOVES cream puffs so when I saw this recipe I told him to give it a go.His eyes rolled rolled backed when he took a bite. In his words, “these are legit!” The custard filling is to die for, thank you for sharing this 5 star recipe. So incredibly delicious!
What is unbleached AP flour? Im not sure what the “AP” stands for. I plan on making this on Saturday can you please let me know. Looks so yummy!
It’s just regular all purpose flour! Sorry for the confusion!
Can you help me making the Italian cream buff healthier,Can I use coconut flower or almond flower
stevia instead sugar? Thank you.
Hi Joanne
Would love to make these beauties. But confused about the cups though. U.K or US units?
Thanks
Okay so everyone here has posted how amazing the pictures look and i agree they look awesome!! But has anyone actually attempted to make this recipe?? I tried it yesterday, it was a disaster! The dough was not like the pictures, after i baked it in the oven, it fluffed up but then went flat after cooling it on racks. I barely cut them in half to try to put the cream in between! Now as for the cream, it tasted good but nothing spectacular! It was also more watery than the pictures look. Anyways, just wanted to comment that i tried making the dough twice yesterday to see if i was doing something wrong but nope the dough recipe is just NOT good. It also tasted very very very eggy!! Overall, this recipe was just NOT good. I bake very often and this recipe was written out so easily that i know i did not make a mistake. I wouldn’t waste my time on this recipe if i were you guys. Yes, the pictures look great, but who wants to eat something that tastes bad even if it looks pretty. Its not always about presentation in my opinion.
I have had cream puffs with a chocolate custard, do you know what i should add to make the custard chocolate?
Wonderful, not difficult & delicious! I’ve never had rum flavoring in cream puffs, but I’m not Italian, so I left that out. Otherwise, I followed it to a tee & it was perfect! Thank you for sharing!
Hello! This looks great! But, I have a question: did you spoon and level the flour for the pastry or take it straight from the jar? Thanks.
Do you have a food scale? I always weigh ingredients like flour for accuracy. 1 cup of flour = 120 grams. I think that should most closely approximate the spoon and level method, though.
Yes I do! Thanks a lot for clarifying it for me! 🙂
I used your recipe and have a few questions: What do they look like after you pipe them but before you bake them? Do you have a picture? I wasn’t sure if it was supposed to be a swirl or a blob or how tall to make it.Mine collapsed after I took the out of the even after 27 minutes. Do you slit the side like you are slicing them or stab the top for steam to come out? They looked so pretty in the oven!
I had the same issue!
how long does this take
They were good but pastry was very bland. I added sugar to my pastry batter. The custard tasted amazing but didn’t thicken too well for me. I wonder if I did something wrong.
Hi Joanne,
I loved this recipe,texture and taste,however the puffs taste were very eggy and I made a chocolate sauce on top to conceal this flavour.If I put less eggs would this change the texture or am I doing something incorrectly?
Hi! This sort of pastry definitely does have an eggy taste to it that is not for everyone. Putting less eggs would definitely change the texture so I would caution against that. You could try a regular pate a choux recipe, not one that’s specifically aimed to mimic these pastries, and it may have less of an eggy taste to it.
These look amazing. Just as I remember when I was a child. I don’t do any alcohol at all. Can you leave out the rum?
Yes definitely! I would probably replace it with a touch extra of vanilla though…maybe 2 tsp instead of the 1 1/2.
Hi Joanne! I have twice attempted this recipe and both times failed. Each time it looked like the dough was a little too wet and my cream puffs turned out more like flat brioche. Any ideas?
I make cream puffs all the time but never thought about making them into a cake. These are totally delicious and I thank you for the recipe
I haven’t made the pastry itself yet but I did tackle the cream oooooooooooh my so good. I used it to put between layers of cake with fresh strawberries. I will try making the pastries soon.
Thanks for a great recipe
It’s amazing! I just randomly found your blog looking for this recipe. Awesome! Good for you!
When I printed out the recipe I was disappointed that the picture did not print. Why is that? I have had the same problem when I printed out other recipes.
A lot of people don’t like the picture being included because it takes up space on the paper and uses extra ink unnecessarily (at least that’s the feedback I was given!)
I have come across your recipe, it is a good timing. My best friend birthday is on the 19th of March. I always bake her a cake on that day. Great, this year, I will surprise her with the Choux
Worst recipe EVER. Pastry doesn’t rise, wasted a total evening with this joke. Going back to Cooks Illustrated.
Did you pip it with a large star tip/nozzle?
Yes! I believe it was a Wilton 8B (or something similar).
I’m making these tonight and would like to freeze the empty puffs until it’s get closer to my dinner party. Can I safely assume they freeze well?
Yes, they should be fine to freeze!
Do you know why your recipe calls for so much more flour than others yielding the same amounts? I make myself crazy comparing recipes…. is the Italian puff different than regular cream puffs? An example… this is Buddy the cake guys recipe …
Sorry the recipe won’t copy but it’s significantly less of everything