Cream puffs are a popular snack in Malaysia and available in many bakeries. However, it is easy enough to make at home too.

Great cream puffs are lightweight, always puffy on the outside but hollow on the inside where the filling is piped in.

This version is a Japanese favourite, filled with crème pâtissière, which has a smooth texture with a milky flavour.

Using basic ingredients, it is easy to put together – so, do have a go at it.

Ingredients

Choux pastry

• 113 g (4 oz) butter
• 237 ml (8 fl oz) water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 small eggs or 237 ml (8 fl oz) eggs
• 150 g all-purpose flour

Crème pâtissière

• 237 ml (8 fl oz) milk
• 2 egg yolks
• 55 g caster sugar
• 1 drop vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons corn starch
• 1 pinch salt, (only if not adding butter or using unsalted butter)
• 1/2 teaspoon unsalted butter for additional shine and firmness

Method

Choux pastry

• Put butter and water into a saucepan on low heat. Turn off the heat once the butter has melted.
• Add the flour and salt and stir quickly until a dough is formed and does not stick to the saucepan. Let cook for one to two minutes to dry up the water a little.
• Transfer the dough to a different container and leave to cool for about 10 minutes.
• Once cooled, beat in the eggs one at a time using an electric mixer (low speed) until the mixture is well combined and sticky.
• Scoop the dough into a plastic bag with the tip cut off, or use a piping bag, and push it to the small opening.
• Squeeze the bag and pipe the dough onto a greased baking sheet using a clockwise motion to form a small coil. Leave enough room between each pastry shell.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 220ºC for about 10 minutes, or until they turn golden brown.

Filling

• Combine egg yolks, 60 ml of the milk, sugar, vanilla extract, salt and cornstarch in a bowl.
• Bring the remaining milk to a scald in a saucepan.
• Pour the hot milk in a small stream into the egg mixture, whisking constantly with a balloon whisk as you pour. Once incorporated, pour everything back into the saucepan.
• Whisk the mixture over medium heat until it thickens and firms up. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter.
• Once it reaches room temperature, scoop the crème into a piping bag or container. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• To fill the cream puffs, attach a small nozzle to a piping bag. Insert the nozzle into the choux pastry and pipe the crème into the puff.

Tips

• Cream puffs last for two to three days.
• Baked shells can be frozen for up to two months in a tight container. If you fill them before freezing, they will be soggy.
• If your puffs are falling, lower the temperature and bake for longer. The higher temperature tends to brown the puffs without making sure the structure is hard enough, so they fall.
• Make sure there is sufficient space between the puffs on the baking sheet.

This recipe first appeared in Rasa Malaysia Low Bee Yinn is a food blogger and cookbook author.