Condensed Milk Cream Puffs

By cakewardrobe

Pâte à choux with condensed milk pastry cream. It's a lovely harmony of airy and creamy.

Ingredients

• For the pâte à choux:
• 1/2 cup (4 oz/113 grams) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup (4 oz/113 grams) whole milk
• 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (5 1/2 oz/155 grams) all-purpouse flour, sifted
• 5 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk
• For the pastry cream filling:
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup (8 oz/226 grams) heavy whipping cream

Details

Servings 3

Preparation

Step 1

For the pâte à choux:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Put the butter, milk, sweetened condensed milk, 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons water, and set in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom of the pan and folding the dough over and over, until it is smooth and just starts to stick to the bottom of the saucepan, about 7 minutes.

3. Transfer the dough to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix the dough on medium speed for 1 minute to allow the steam to escape and the dough to cool slightly. With the machine running, add 4 eggs and the yolk one at a time, mixing until well incorporated, about 2 minutes. Turn the mixer speed to high and mix for 10 seconds.

4. Transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch-diameter plain piping tip. Pipe out 1-inch wide 1-inch tall rounds 2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets; try to form a peak at the top of each. Lightly beat the remaining egg and brush on the tops of the puffs.

5. Bake for 10 minutes then lower the temperature to 350°F and bake until the puffs are risen and golden brown, about 20 minutes more. Resist the temptation to peek in at the puffs as they bake or they may fall. Remove fromt he oven and cool completely on the pans set on a rack.

For the pastry cream:

1. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch together in a medium bowl until the sugar is dissolved; set aside.

2. Put the milk, condensed milk and salt in a small saucepan and warm over medium high heat until bubbles form around the edges. about 5 minutes.

3. Remove from the heat and add the warm milk to the egg yolks in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the saucepan, set over low heat and cook, whisking constantly and vigorously, until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. The cream should stick to the bottom of the saucepan and form a ribbon on the surface when you lift the whisk.

4. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and then the butter until melted and smooth. Transfer the pastry cream to a large bowl, cover the surface directly with plastic wrap, and let it set and thicken at room temperature, about 2 hours. (If you are preparing this ahead of time, refrigerate the cream until ready to use.)

5. put the heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whisk until medium peaks form. (When you lift the whisk from the mixture, a peak will form and the very tip of the peak will fall back down.) Gently fold in the pastry cream until fully incorporated and refrigerate until ready to use.


When ready to serve, cut the puffs horizontally in half, spoon or pipe 2 tablspoons of the pastry cream onto the bottom half of each puff, sandwich with the tops and serve immediately.