Description
Delight in these festive Eggnog Cream Puffs—airy choux pastry shells filled with a luscious eggnog-flavored whipped cream. Perfect for holiday gatherings, this recipe combines classic French cream puffs with rich, spiced eggnog cream for an indulgent dessert that’s both elegant and comforting.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Choux Pastry:
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
For the Eggnog Cream Filling:
- 3/4 cup eggnog
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch (optional)
For Garnish:
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to ensure the cream puffs do not stick and bake evenly.
- Boil Water, Butter, and Salt: In a saucepan, bring the water, unsalted butter, and salt to a rolling boil, which will form the base for the choux pastry dough.
- Add Flour to Form Dough: Reduce the heat and immediately add the flour all at once. Stir vigorously until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan and forms a smooth ball of dough, indicating it is cooked properly.
- Cool Dough Slightly: Remove the dough from heat and let it cool for about 5 minutes to prevent the eggs from cooking when added.
- Incorporate Eggs: Add eggs one at a time into the dough, beating well after each addition. Continue this process until the dough becomes glossy and smooth enough to pipe.
- Pipe Dough into Shapes: Using a piping bag fitted with a large open star tip, pipe rosette shapes evenly spaced onto the prepared baking sheet to form the cream puff shells.
- Bake Choux Pastry: Bake the piped dough for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the puffs are golden brown and have risen beautifully to create hollow centers suitable for filling.
- Cool and Pierce Puffs: Once baked, pierce the bottoms of the cream puffs with a skewer to allow steam to escape and prevent sogginess. Let them cool completely before filling.
- Whip Cream Mixture: In a mixing bowl, whip the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract together until soft peaks form, providing a light and airy texture for the filling.
- Add Eggnog to Cream: Gradually incorporate the eggnog into the whipped cream while continuing to beat until stiff peaks form, intensifying the festive flavor and creating a stable filling.
- Thicken Cream Filling (Optional): If the filling is too soft, add the teaspoon of cornstarch and mix gently to achieve the desired thickness for easy piping.
- Fill Cream Puffs: Transfer the eggnog whipped cream into a piping bag and fill each cooled puff through the bottom opening, ensuring each puff is generously stuffed.
- Dust and Serve: Finally, dust the filled cream puffs with powdered sugar to add a delicate touch of sweetness and an attractive finish before serving.
Notes
- Ensure the dough is not too hot when adding eggs to avoid scrambling.
- Cool the cream puffs completely before filling to prevent melting the filling.
- The cornstarch is optional and helps stabilize the cream filling if you plan to make them in advance.
- For extra flavor, sprinkle a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg on top.
- Store filled cream puffs in the refrigerator and consume within 24 hours for optimal freshness.
