Earl Grey Cream Puffs

by Andrea Tremblay-Legendre

This recipe is now one of my favorite as it's not too sweet, creamy and crispy at the same time and quite easy to make! Earl grey pastry cream is so delicious and I can't wait to use it again in other recipes!

Yields 12 large cream puffs

Earl Grey pastry cream
1 cup soy milk
2 tbsp earl grey tea
2 eggs yolks
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup sugar

  1. Warm up the milk in the microwave and add the tea. Let sit for an hour or so.
  2. Pass the milk through a sieve and discard the tea.
  3. Combine the egg yolks, maple syrup, vanilla extract and 1/3 cup of earl grey flavoured milk in a saucepan.
  4. With a sieve, incorporate the cornstarch, sugar and salt while constantly wisking.
  5. Incorporate the rest of the milk while wisking constantly and cook on medium heat for roughly 10 minutes (it needs to boil for couple minutes) or until it's thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Remember to constantly stir.
  6. Pour in a small bowl and cover with a plastic wrap directly on top of the pastry cream. Set aside and let cool down.

Choux Paste:
2/3 cup water
1/4 cup butter
2/3 cup flour
3 eggs

  1. Preheat oven to 425F. Prepare a parchment lined baking sheet.
  2. In a small pot bring the water and butter up to a boil.
  3. Lower the heat to medium and add in the flour, all at once, and start to vigorously mix it in with a wooden spoon. When the dough mixture comes away from the sides of the pot you know its almost done. Keep mixing and let some of the moisture cook out, for about 2 minutes.
  4. Transfer the dough mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer and turn on low. Let it stir for a couple minutes to bring the temperature down.
  5. When it is slightly cooled add in the egg, one at a time, waiting for each egg to fully incorporate before adding the next one.
  6. Transfer the choux paste to a piping bag with a large round tip.
  7. Pipe 8 large round mounds on the parchment lined sheet pan (about 2 inches at the base) keeping them a couple inches apart.
  8. Dip your finger in water and press down any tips or bumps in the choux paste.
  9. Bake for 10 minutes at 425F and then lower the temp to 375F for another 10 minutes. After that lower the oven temperature further to 325F and bake for approximately another 25 minutes, until the cream puffs are evenly light brown and are light when lifted. You want them to be quite dry so they hold their shape, if in doubt bake them a little longer.
  10. Set aside to cool.

Whipped cream
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp sugar

  1. In an electric mixer with a whisk attachment whip the cream until it starts to thicken.
  2. Add in the rest of the ingredient and continue whipping until the cream forms stiff peaks.
  3. Transfer the whipped cream to a large piping bag with a star tip.

To assemble the cream puff

  1. Slice the top of the choux paste puffs.
  2. Fill the bottom part of the puffs with earl grey pastry cream and pipe whipped cream on top.
  3. Place the top of the choux puffs over the cream puffs and dust with icing sugar if desired.