Description
Elegant cream puffs made from golden, crisp pâte à choux pastry filled with a smooth pistachio whipped cream and finished with powdered sugar. A refined dessert that balances light pastry with rich, nutty cream.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) water
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk
- 8 tablespoons (113 g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water (for egg wash)
- 1 3/4 cups (411 g) heavy cream, cold
- 1/3 cup (38 g) powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2/3 cup (170 g) pistachio paste (unsweetened preferred)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- In a saucepan, combine water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil, then stir in flour. Cook over medium heat, stirring until dough forms a ball and a film develops at the bottom of the pan.
- Transfer dough to a mixing bowl. Cool for 5 minutes, then beat in eggs one at a time until dough is smooth and glossy.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line baking sheets with parchment. Pipe 2-inch mounds, spacing 2 inches apart. Smooth peaks with a damp finger. Rest piped dough for 15–30 minutes.
- Brush tops with egg wash. Bake 25–30 minutes until puffed and golden. Optionally return to oven 5–10 minutes for even browning.
- Poke a small hole in each puff to release steam. Cool on a wire rack.
- Whip heavy cream and powdered sugar to soft peaks. Gradually add pistachio paste in 4–5 additions, then add vanilla and salt. Whip just until stiff peaks form.
- Slice puffs in half. Pipe or spoon pistachio cream into bases and top with lids.
- Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Notes
- Bake choux pastry thoroughly to avoid collapse; vent with a hole immediately after baking.
- Pistachio cream can be made a day ahead and stored in the fridge.
- Best eaten within 8 hours once assembled.
- Unfilled shells can be frozen and re-crisped in the oven.
- Can substitute pistachio paste with almond or hazelnut paste.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cream puff
- Calories: 240
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 115 mg
- Fat: 19 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 105 mg
