Description
Delight in these festive Eggnog Cream Puffs featuring light and airy choux pastry filled with a rich and creamy eggnog-infused custard, topped with a smooth blend of whipped cream for an irresistible holiday treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Pate a Choux (Cream Puff Shell):
- 1 cup (237 ml) water
- 6 Tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 5.75 oz (163 g) all-purpose flour, about 1 ⅓ cups
- 1 cup (237 ml) eggs (approx. 4 large eggs + 1 egg white = 8 ounces)
Eggnog Pastry Cream:
- ¾ cup (177 ml) full fat eggnog
- ¾ cup (177 ml) whole milk
- 6 Tbsp (75 g) granulated sugar
- 3 Tbsp cornstarch
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 ½ Tbsp (21 g) unsalted butter
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ⅛ tsp salt
Whipped Cream:
- 1 ¼ cups (296 ml) heavy cream
- ⅓ cup (40 g) powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C). Line two sheet trays with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set them aside for the cream puffs.
- Prepare Pate a Choux Dough: In a medium saucepan, combine water, butter, sugar, and salt. Heat until it reaches a rolling boil, then remove from heat and stir in the flour until combined.
- Cook Dough: Return the saucepan to the heat and continuously stir the dough until it forms a ball, with no dry spots, and the steam decreases significantly.
- Cool Dough and Mix: Transfer the dough to a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix on medium speed until the dough cools down slightly and is just warm to the touch.
- Add Eggs: Add eggs one at a time, mixing fully between each addition. The dough will transition from clumpy to a shiny, cohesive, and stringy texture once all eggs are incorporated.
- Pipe Cream Puffs: Fill a piping bag fitted with a round tip (Wilton 2A recommended) with the dough. Pipe 1.5-inch rounds onto prepared baking sheets. Smooth peaks and round tops by dipping a finger in water and lightly touching each puff.
- Bake Initial Stage: Bake at 425°F for 10-12 minutes, allowing the puffs to rise and gain height.
- Bake to Finish: Reduce oven temperature to 350°F (177°C) and bake for an additional 18-20 minutes, or until the cream puffs are a deep golden brown and feel light and airy when tested.
- Make Eggnog Pastry Cream: In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, heat the eggnog and milk just to a boil, then remove from heat.
- Mix Sugar and Cornstarch: In a separate bowl, whisk together sugar and cornstarch, then add egg yolks and whisk until smooth.
- Temper Eggs: Slowly add hot eggnog mixture to the egg yolk mixture while whisking constantly to temper.
- Cook Pastry Cream: Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until it thickens and boils.
- Finish Pastry Cream: Remove from heat and stir in butter, vanilla extract, ground nutmeg, and salt. Whisk until smooth.
- Chill Pastry Cream: Transfer to a shallow dish, cover with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface to prevent skin formation, and chill completely in the refrigerator.
- Whip Cream: Using a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip heavy cream and powdered sugar to stiff peaks.
- Combine Cream and Pastry Cream: Gently fold the chilled eggnog pastry cream into the whipped cream until blended.
- Fill Cream Puffs: Use a piping bag fitted with a small star tip (Wilton 18 recommended) to poke a hole in the side of each cream puff and pipe in the eggnog cream until the puff expands.
- Serve: Dust tops with powdered sugar and serve immediately for best texture and freshness.
Notes
- These cream puffs are best enjoyed immediately to avoid the shells becoming soggy from the filling.
- Keep the oven door closed during baking to maintain a steady temperature for perfect puffing.
- The choux dough can be cooled completely before adding eggs to prevent cooking the eggs in the hot dough.
- Use room temperature eggs for easier incorporation into the dough.
- Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming while chilling.
- For piping the cream puff dough, avoid swirling motions; pipe by squeezing and lifting the bag straight up for smooth round shapes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cream puff
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 120mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 19g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
