Description
Indulge in these delightful Chocolate Cream Puffs featuring a crisp choux pastry shell filled with rich, silky chocolate pastry cream and topped with a luscious dark chocolate ganache. Perfect for special occasions or an elegant dessert, this recipe guides you through creating decadent cream puffs from scratch with detailed steps and tips for perfect results every time.
Ingredients
Scale
Chocolate Pastry Cream
- 5 large egg yolks
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 50 g cornflour
- 15 g cocoa powder
- 540 ml whole milk
- 80 g dark chocolate 70%, finely chopped
- 50 g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Choux Pastry
- 120 ml water
- 120 ml milk
- 120 g unsalted butter, cubed
- 15 g granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 130 g plain flour (all-purpose)
- 220 g large eggs (about 4-5 eggs, keep 1 extra for consistency adjustment)
- 1 teaspoon milk (for egg wash)
Chocolate Glaze
- 100 ml double cream (heavy cream)
- 15 g unsalted butter
- 100 g dark chocolate 70%, finely chopped
Instructions
- Make the Chocolate Pastry Cream: Heat the milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat until it begins to simmer with bubbles forming around the edges but not boiling. Meanwhile, whisk together egg yolks and sugar in a bowl until thick and pale, then add cornflour and cocoa powder until combined. Temper the eggs by slowly adding the hot milk to the mixture while whisking continuously, then pour back into the saucepan over low heat. Continuously whisk the custard and add chopped chocolate as it thickens. Cook for a further minute until fully thickened. Remove from heat, strain through a fine-mesh sieve to remove lumps, then whisk in butter and vanilla extract until smooth. Chill the pastry cream over an ice bath, cover the surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent skin formation, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Before filling, whisk again until smooth.
- Make the Choux Pastry: In a medium saucepan, combine water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt. Heat on low until butter melts and sugar dissolves, then bring to a rolling boil on medium-high. Remove from heat, immediately add flour, and stir vigorously until combined. Return to heat and stir continuously for about 2 minutes until dough forms a ball and pulls cleanly from the pan (75-80°C). Transfer to a stand mixer bowl and beat on low speed for 1 minute to cool the dough to 60°C or below. Slowly add whisked eggs in 3-4 additions while mixing on low, scraping sides midway. The mixture should be smooth, shiny, and hold a thick ribbon shape when the beater is lifted. If needed, add extra egg a teaspoon at a time to adjust consistency. Fill a piping bag fitted with a round tip, refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Pipe and Bake Choux Buns: Preheat oven to 200°C (390°F). Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Pipe 4 cm wide mounds spaced 2.5 cm apart. Brush surrounding parchment with water and smooth peaks with a wet fingertip. Mix milk with remaining egg for egg wash and gently brush over the pastry mounds. Immediately lower oven temperature to 180°C (350°F) and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and crisp. Do not open the oven door during baking. Remove, prick holes at the bottom of each bun to release steam, then bake for an additional 5-10 minutes. Let cool completely on the tray.
- Fill and Decorate: Whisk chilled pastry cream until smooth. Fill a piping bag with a ½ inch tip and insert into the hole at the base of each choux bun. Pipe cream inside until filled. For the ganache, heat cream until just simmering, add chocolate and butter, and stir until smooth. Dip tops of filled buns into the ganache, let excess drip off, and place onto a tray. Optionally, sprinkle with cocoa nibs. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving. Best enjoyed the same day for crispness.
Notes
- Step-by-Step Photos: Helpful photos available on the blog to guide through each stage.
- Storage: Best eaten the day of making for crisp shells; can refrigerate up to 3 days but shells soften.
- Freezing: Freeze in an airtight container up to 2 months; thaw in fridge overnight. The texture of pastry and cream may soften.
- Pastry Cream Tips: Whisk eggs and sugar only when ready to temper; heat milk just to simmer; temper slowly and whisk continuously; cook custard gently to avoid curdling.
- Choux Pastry Tips: Add eggs gradually; keep piping bag vertical at 90 degrees when piping; avoid opening oven before 25 minutes; fully cool choux before filling.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cream puff
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 19 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
