Strawberry Cream Puffs

From their crisp pastry shells to their strawberry whipped cream filling, strawberry cream puffs are a dessert perfect for spring, for baby showers, or really for any day of the year!

Oh my GOODNESS you guys!  I am literally shaking with excitement about today’s post.  (OK, if I’m being honest I’m probably shaking from excitement combined with the cream puff I had for breakfast.)

But there’s fruit in the cream puff filling, so that makes it an acceptable weekend breakfast right?  

Anyway! Let’s get away from me for a second and discuss the reason for today’s post: my friend Katherine!  She’s the blogger behind Love In My Oven and is getting ready to have her very first baby girl.  Her sweet little daughter will join two big brothers and I (to get back to me for a second) cannot wait to meet the newest addition to their family!

In honor of Katherine’s big news, a bunch of amazing bloggers have gotten together to throw her a virtual baby shower with pink-themed treats.  (Organized by the adorable Kelly from Kelly Lynn’s Sweets and Treats.)

My contribution to the festivities is these delicious and SIMPLE strawberry cream puffs.    

Choux pastry, the pastry you use for cream puffs (and also eclairs and profiteroles), couldn’t be easier to make.  Honestly–you’ll feel like a professional pastry chef and your friends will never know it only took you like 15 minutes of active time.  (Above is a little visual of the process of making the pastry–you cook flour and butter on the stove, then add eggs as the pastry processes in the food processor.)

The theme of this shower is PINK, hence my addition of strawberries to an easy whipped cream filling.  If you’re not into fruit in your desserts then just omit the strawberries.  No prob!  

And don’t limit yourself to making these for a baby shower.  I’m thinking they’d be a great Easter dessert too!  Make the shells the morning of your celebration, then fill them just before serving.  They’ll be a total hit I guarantee.

Scroll down to see all the delicious pink treats my blogging friends are bringing to the party and click on over to see their recipes; we’ve got you covered from drinks to appetizers to dessert.  You know you’ll never go hungry when a bunch of food bloggers are in charge of the menu 🙂 

Congratulations Katherine, Etienne, and family!  

If you make these strawberry cream puffs, let me know what you think with a comment and recipe rating below! Post a pic on Insta too–tag @theitsybitsykitchen so I can see!

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Strawberry Cream Puffs

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Resting time

45 mins

Total Time

1 hr 25 mins

 

Strawberry cream puffs are easier to make than you’d think and they make a great dessert for Mother’s Day, Easter, or any day of the year!

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: French

Servings: 9 people

Author: Kelsie

Ingredients

Pastry shells:

• 2 large eggs + 1 large egg white
• 6 tablespoons water
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into 10 chunks
• 2 tablespoons whole milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour sifted

Filling:

• 1/2 cup sliced strawberries
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• pink gel food coloring if desired
• additional sliced strawberries to stuff in the cream puffs if desired

Instructions

Pastry shells:

1. Set up a food processor next to the stove.
2. Place the eggs and egg white in a glass measuring cup and beat with a fork to combine.
3. Place the water, butter, milk, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan set over medium heat and bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Remove from the heat and stir in the flour to combine; continue stirring with the wooden spoon until mixture comes together and clears the sides of the pan. Set pan over low heat and cook mixture, stirring constantly, until mixture is shiny and beads of fat appear in the bottom of the pan. (This will take about 3 minutes.)
4. Quickly transfer the mixture to the food processor and process for 10 seconds to cool a bit. With processor running, slowly pour the beaten eggs through the feed tube in a steady stream. Stop processor, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then process for 30 seconds more.
5. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and adjust a rack to the middle position. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set pan aside.
6. Fit a pastry bag with a 1/2-inch round tip and fill the bag with the pastry. Pipe into about 9 (2 1/2-inch) mounds on the parchment, spacing about 1 1/2 inches apart. (You can eyeball this or draw circles on the underside of the parchment to use as a guide.) Alternatively, you can just spoon the pastry onto the parchment.
7. Use your finger or a teaspoon dipped in water to smooth the tops of the mounds.
8. Bake for 17 minutes at 425, then turn oven down to 375 and bake 6 to 8 minutes more, until puffs are golden. (Don’t open the oven door during this process.)
9. Remove puffs from the oven and turn the oven off. Use a small, sharp knife to cut a 1-inch slit into the side of each of the puffs, then return them to the oven, propping the oven door open slightly. Let the puffs dry out in the cooling oven for 45 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. (At this point you can freeze the puffs in a zip-top bag for up to 1 month; heat them in a 300-degree oven for 10 minutes before serving.)

Filling:

1. Process the 1/2 cup of strawberries in the bowl of a food processor until finely pureed; you should have about 1/3 cup of puree.
2. Beat the heavy cream in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until it thickens. Add the sugar, vanilla, and food coloring (if using), then continue beating until it holds stiff peaks. Gently fold in the berry puree with a rubber spatula.

To serve:

1. Split the puffs in half and fill each bottom half with filling and top with sliced berries (if desired). Top with the other half of the puff. Serve immediately.

Cream puff shells adapted from Cook’s Illustrated

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