Summer is all about light and airy desserts and this is as perfect as it gets. Cream puffs are traditionally stuffed with pastry cream, but this mascarpone cream is lighter and easier to make, a win-win situation. I’m taking these to a barbecue tomorrow so I’ll pack the pate a choux (the puff) in one box and bring the mascarpone cream in a seperate container. I’ll bring a piping bag and a star tip (light and easy to travel with) and fill these to order. I’m pretty sure these will be popular with the kids, but impress the adults as well.
So throughout the post, I will keep insisting that you fill the cream puffs as close to service as possible. You will definitely get the best results that way because any cream inside will start to moisten the pate a choux. The longer it is filled, the more soggy it will be. However, lots of places that sell cream puffs do not fill to order. It’s ok for most people. I guess I’m just really picky. So, if you are going to fill them, you must store them in the fridge, and your best bet is this recipe because this Mascarpone Cream is not as wet as pastry cream.
Mascarpone Cream Puffs
Pate a Choux (based on recipe from Professional Baking)
~roughly 36 pieces
- 10 ounces water
- 1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 ounces bread flour
- 6 ounces eggs (about 3 large eggs), beaten lightly
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Combine water, butter, sugar and salt in a large heavy saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil. Remove from the heat and all all the flour at once and stir quickly with a large whisk.
3. Return to medium heat and whisk vigorously until the dough forms a ball.
4. Transfer dough to a stand mixer bowl and mix with paddle attachment to cool to 140 degrees F, which is pretty warm but not hot.
5. On medium speed, beat in about 1/4 of the egg at a time and wait till the egg is completely absorbed before adding more.
6. Use a round tip (I used 1/3″) and fill pastry bag with choux paste (the batter you just made). Pipe 1 1/2″ balls about 2″ apart. Try not to leave a tip but if you do, it’s easy to fix. When you’re done piping all the choux, dab your finger in a little water an just gently press the tips down.
7. Bake for 10 minutes in 425 degrees F, then rotate pans and turn down to 375 degrees F. Bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until pate a choux are golden and feel hollow. Remove from oven and cool in a dry place.
You can make the pate a choux a few days a head of time. Cool completely before storing them in an air-tight container. When you are ready to use them, heat them up at 300 degrees F, in the oven. It takes a few minutes. You want them to feel light and dry. Remove them from the oven and let them cool completely before filling. Fill as close to eating as possible.
Mascarpone Cream
- 1 1/2 cups mascarpone
- scant 1/2 cup chilled heavy cream
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
Instructions –
Chill mixer bowl and whisk for at least 15 minutes. Put all of the ingredients in the bowl and beat until stiff peaks (doesn’t take long).
Assembly:
Spit pate a choux in half. It pulls apart easily with your fingers but feel free to use a knife if you prefer. Pipe Mascarpone cream into bottom half.
Place top half on and press gently, just so it sticks. Serve immediately.
Another serving option is to add a few slices of fresh strawberry. Garnish with mint (optional). Both ways are light and delicious!
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Ooh can’t wait for tomorrow!
Wish we could have one. They look super.
Oooh, I love this. Not too sweet but rich, like summer!
These looks beautiful. I haven’t tried them w/ the mascarpone but it sounds great.
TOO BEAUTIFUL for WORDS!!
Hey Jessica, btw, I just sent you an email to this blog regarding the meet-up 🙂
Wow, the last Pic is nice. They look beautiful – please send some to germany 🙂
I can’t wait to try these. The pics are absolutely beautiful. I see you are on flickr…will make you a ‘contact’ for sure. Thanks for sharing.
Carmen
Beautiful!!! I LOVE cream puffs, especially mascarpone 🙂
kudos to you for doing this from scratch–i’m extremely impressed…and appetized.
that is such a wonderful photo… your best
What a beautiful result!
Hi:
I tried making this recipe twice, and each time when in the over into 5-6th minute at 375degrees F the dough burns. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. Do you have any ideas why this might be happening??
Thanks!!
Hi Dana,
I’m sorry you’re having problems. Have you checked your oven temperature with an oven thermometer. Ovens are notoriously NOT accurate about their own temperature. That would be my first guess, but the 2nd one would be, are you piping your puffs smaller?
Jessica:
Thank you SO MUCH for the response. The temperature is fairly accurate, I did check it. How big should dough balls be? I try to pipe them about 1.5″ in width diameter and about 1/2″ tall , but how tall in your opinion they should be?
First 10 minutes at 425 they are doing great. But then inevitably start burning after 5 minutes after temperature has been lowered. Very disappointing. Any help is much appreciated!!
Dana, they should be about 1.5″ tall also, kind of a ball. The dough should be stiff enough to do that and not be runny and flatten out. Let me know how it goes when you try to pipe it 1.5″ high.
Thank you!! I tried it, and it helped. I also found that I need to keep temperature a tad lower.
Thanks again, great blog!
Dana, I’m so glad! AND, I’m even happier that you never gave up! =)Happy baking and eating!