Chocolate-Filled Cream Puffs
I make this every year for one of our counselors birthday. He adores them along with everyone else. Its my mothers recipe and I grew up eating cream puffs. I have to triple the batch when I take them to school.—Diana Voland, Martinsville, Indiana
I make this every year for one of our counselors birthday. He adores them along with everyone else. Its my mothers recipe and I grew up eating cream puffs. I have to triple the batch when I take them to school.—Diana Voland, Martinsville, Indiana
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 cups 2% milk
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup butter cubed
- 2 egg yolks lightly beaten
- chocolate cream filling:
- 5 tablespoons baking cocoa
- hot fudge ice cream topping and citrus sugar white chocolate shavings or confectioners' sugar, optional
- Carbohydrate 127.842319289667 g
- Cholesterol 1438.56812532402 mg
- Fat 167.925524707118 g
- Fiber 15.1206669947858 g
- Protein 50.0520637670466 g
- Saturated Fat 97.1324484109932 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Recipe (1342g)
- Sodium 44472.1074565424 mg
- Sugar 112.721652294881 g
- Trans Fat 12.5509015924001 g
- Calories 2126 calories
Step-by-step
- In a large saucepan, bring water and butter to a boil.
- Add flour all at once and stir until a smooth ball forms.
- Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Continue beating until mixture is smooth and shiny.
- Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 3 in. apart onto greased baking sheets.
- Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove to wire racks.
- Immediately split puffs open; remove tops and set aside.
- Discard soft dough from inside.
- Cool puffs.
- Freeze in airtight containers for up to 2 months.
- To use frozen cream puffs: Thaw at room temperature for 10 minutes.
- Place cream puffs on a baking sheet.
- Bake at 375° for 3-4 minutes or until crisp.
- For filling, in a large heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt.
- Stir in milk until smooth.
- Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly.
- Reduce heat to low; cook and stir 2 minutes longer.
- Remove from the heat.
- Stir a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks; return all to the pan, stirring constantly.
- Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer.
- Remove from the heat.
- Gently stir in butter and vanilla.
- Cover with waxed paper or plastic wrap.
- Cool for 15 minutes, without stirring.
- To serve, spoon chocolate cream filling into cream puffs; replace tops.
- Top with warmed hot fudge sauce and citrus sugar, white chocolate shavings or confectioners' sugar if desired.
Choux pastry relies entirely on moisture conversion to achieve its hollow interior, requiring a hot oven temperature of 400 degrees to generate steam before the structure sets. Because these pastries carry a heavy payload of dairy fat and sugar through the chocolate cream filling, pairing them effectively demands bright contrast. Serve these puffs alongside sharp citrus elements or bitter dark roast coffee to cut through the richness of the pastry cream and butter. Fresh raspberries or pomegranate arils also provide necessary acidity, preventing palate fatigue during dessert service.
Executing this bake efficiently requires clear staging. Make the chocolate filling in advance and chill it completely so the starch fully sets. The shells themselves can be baked ahead and frozen for up to two months. When ready to serve, thaw the puffs for ten minutes, then crisp them in a 375-degree oven for three to four minutes to restore the exterior crunch.
For service variations, swap the standard dusting of confectioners' sugar for a homemade citrus sugar by pressing grated orange or lemon peels directly into granulated sugar. This releases essential oils into the granules, adding aromatic complexity that complements the baking cocoa without overwhelming the pastry.
