Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (240ml) water
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 cups (473ml) whole milk
  • ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup (30g) cornstarch
  • Pinch of salt
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Combine water, butter, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
  2. Remove from heat and add all the flour at once, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon until a smooth dough forms that pulls away from the sides of the pan.
  3. Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl. Let cool slightly (about 5 minutes).
  4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. The dough should be smooth and glossy.
  5. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  6. Transfer the choux pastry to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip.
  7. Pipe 12 mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them evenly apart.
  8. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed up. Do not open the oven door during baking!
  9. Turn off the oven and crack the door open slightly. Let the creampuffs cool in the oven for 10 minutes to prevent them from collapsing.
  10. Remove from oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.
  11. In a saucepan, whisk together milk, sugar, cornstarch, and salt.
  12. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks.
  13. Slowly pour a small amount of the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly (tempering the yolks).
  14. Pour the tempered egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture.
  15. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the pastry cream thickens and comes to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
  16. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and vanilla extract.
  17. Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap (pressing the wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming), and refrigerate until completely chilled.
  18. Once the creampuffs and pastry cream are completely cooled, use a serrated knife to slice the creampuffs horizontally in half.
  19. Fill the bottom halves with the chilled pastry cream.
  20. Replace the top halves.
  21. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired. Enjoy your homemade creampuff.