Serves 1
Directions
- 1Add 1 1/2 cups of whole milk and 1/2 cup of heavy cream to a medium pot.
- 2Split one vanilla bean down the middle, scrape out the seeds with a knife, and add the seeds to the milk and cream mixture.
- 3Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally with a narrow whisk to prevent scalding.
- 4While the milk mixture is heating, whisk together 2/3 cup of granulated sugar, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 cup of cornstarch in a separate bowl.
- 5Separate 6 egg yolks and add them to the sugar, salt, and cornstarch mixture, then whisk until a light yellow pastel color is achieved.
- 6Once the milk mixture comes to a boil, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool slightly while the vanilla infuses.
- 7Temper the egg mixture by slowly drizzling in about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture while continuously whisking to prevent the eggs from scrambling.
- 8Slowly drizzle in the rest of the hot milk mixture into the tempered egg mixture, continuing to whisk until fully combined.
- 9Strain the mixture back into the pot to remove vanilla bean remnants, scalded milk, or any egg bits, ensuring a silky smooth custard.
- 10Add 1 tablespoon of cold butter to the pot, but don't mix it in yet.
- 11Place the pot back over medium-high heat and whisk constantly until the custard thickens and produces large "burps" (as opposed to bubbles).
- 12Once thickened, remove from heat and whisk in the 1 tablespoon of butter until melted and fully incorporated, making the custard silky.
- 13Transfer the silky smooth custard to a bowl and press cling wrap or parchment paper directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
- 14Chill the custard in the fridge for about 2 hours to overnight until it is nice and pipeable.
- 15Towards the end of the custard's chill time, preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
- 16Measure out 1 cup of water, 1 cup of flour, and 1/2 cup of butter cut into tablespoon-sized pieces.
- 17In a medium, heavy pot, add 1 cup of water, 1 1/2 tablespoons of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and the tablespoon-sized pieces of butter.
- 18Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.
- 19As soon as it comes to a rolling boil, take the pot off the heat, dump in the flour, and stir vigorously until it forms a ball of dough that pulls away from the pan.
- 20Return the pot to medium heat and cook the dough for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until it forms a more cohesive ball and doesn't stick to the pan.
- 21Take the pot off the heat and transfer the dough to a stand mixer with a paddle attachment.
- 22Mix the dough on medium-low for 2 minutes to help it cool down before adding eggs.
- 23Crack the first room-temperature egg into a small bowl (to check for shells) and then add it to the dough in the mixer, mixing until incorporated and the dough becomes slacker and smoother.
- 24Scrape down the bowl and repeat the process with the next two eggs, adding them one at a time and mixing until each is incorporated.
- 25After adding the third egg, mix until the dough is thick but falls gracefully and slowly from the beater, stretching without breaking, indicating the correct slackness.
- 26Transfer the choux pastry to a piping bag fitted with a round tip or an open star tip (which may give more control and less cracking).
- 27Fill the piping bags but do not overfill them to keep them manageable.
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups whole milk
- 0.5 cup heavy cream
- 1 vanilla bean
- 0.66 cup granulated sugar
- 0.25 teaspoon salt
- 0.25 cup cornstarch
- 6 egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon cold butter
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup flour
- 0.5 cup butter, cut into tablespoon sized pieces
- 1.5 tablespoons sugar
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 3 room temperature eggs
Equipment
medium potwhiskstand mixerpaddle attachmentsmall bowlpiping bagrimmed parchment-lined baking sheets
Tips
- Do not overfill piping bags to keep them manageable.
- Baked puffs can be stored for up to 3 days and re-crisped in the oven at 300°F (150°C) for about 10 minutes.
- You can make more filling and lighten it up by folding in some whipped cream at the very end, which is called creme diplomat.
- A vanilla bean or vanilla bean paste will give a more elegant look with black seeds, but vanilla extract tastes almost the same.
- To prevent a skin from developing on the custard, press cling wrap or parchment paper directly onto the surface before chilling.
- If you don't have time to make the custard, you can fill choux pastries with whipped cream or ice cream.
- Experiment with different flavors for the custard, such as melted chocolate, passion fruit puree, or spices.
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