The Ultimate Coffee Cream Puffs

This recipe will guide you through making classic Coffee Cream Puffs (choux pastry) filled with a rich, smooth, and aromatic coffee-flavored custard (pastry cream or vla). The secret to success is a perfectly hollow puff shell and a beautifully cooked custard.

Ingredients

1. For the Coffee Pastry Cream Puffs

(It’s best to make this first so it has time to chill)

• 500 ml Whole Milk
• 2-3 tbsp Simplest Coffee (granules, not 3-in-1, or 2 shots of espresso)
• 5 large Egg Yolks
• 100 gr Granulated Sugar (you can adjust this to your taste)
• 40 gr Cornstarch
• 1 sdt Vanilla Extract (optional)
• 1 tbsp Unsalted Butter
• A pinch of Salt

2. For the Puffs (Choux Pastry)

• 250 ml Water
• 100 gr Unsalted Butter
• 1 tsp Granulated Sugar
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 150 gr All-Purpose Flour
• 4 medium-sized Eggs (lightly beaten)

Instructions

Step 1: Make the Coffee Pastry Cream (Do this first!)

1. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt until the mixture is pale, thick, and has no lumps.
2. Heat the Milk: Pour the milk and Simplest Coffee into a saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring until the coffee dissolves. Bring it almost to a boil (you’ll see small bubbles at the edge), but don’t let it fully boil over.
3. Temper the Eggs: Slowly pour about half of the hot coffee-milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly. This gently raises the temperature of the eggs so they don’t scramble.
4. Cook the Custard: Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk. Turn the heat to medium-low.
5. Keep Whisking: Whisk continuously until the custard thickens and becomes heavy. Make sure to let it bubble and “blip” (boil gently) for 1-2 minutes while whisking to cook out the cornstarch taste.
6. Finish: Turn off the heat. Immediately add the unsalted butter and vanilla extract. Whisk quickly until the butter is melted and the custard is smooth and glossy.
7. Chill: Transfer the custard to a clean bowl. Cover the surface directly with plastic wrap, pressing it down so it touches the custard (this prevents a “skin” from forming).
8. Refrigerate: Place in the fridge and chill for at least 2-3 hours, or until completely cold and firm.

Step 2: Make the Choux Pastry (The Puffs)

1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Boil Liquids: In a saucepan, combine the water, butter, sugar, and salt. Cook over medium heat until it comes to a rolling boil and the butter is fully melted.
3. Add Flour: Turn the heat down to low. Add all the flour at once. Immediately stir vigorously with a wooden spoon.
4. Cook the Dough: Keep stirring on low heat for 1-2 minutes. The dough will come together into a ball and pull away from the sides of the pan. This step is crucial for “drying out” the dough.
5. Cool the Dough: Transfer the dough to a mixer bowl (or a large regular bowl). Let it cool for 5-10 minutes until it’s just warm to the touch. Don’t add eggs while the dough is hot!
6. Add Eggs: Add the beaten eggs a little at a time (in 3-4 additions). Mix with a mixer on low speed (or stir hard with your wooden spoon). Make sure each addition of egg is fully incorporated before adding the next.
7. Check Consistency: The final dough should be thick, smooth, and glossy. When you lift the spatula, the dough should fall off slowly, forming a “V” shape that doesn’t break.
8. Pipe the Dough: Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a star or round tip.
9. Pipe: Pipe the dough onto the prepared baking sheet in uniform mounds (about 3-4 cm or 1.5 inches in diameter). Leave plenty of space between them as they will puff up. You can pat down any small peaks with a wet finger.

Step 3: The Bake (This part is critical!)

1. Bake – Phase 1: Place the baking sheet in the hot 200°C (400°F) oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes. The puffs will rise and become firm.
2. DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN: For the first 20 minutes, do not, under any circumstances, open the oven door. The sudden change in temperature will make your puffs collapse.
3. Bake – Phase 2: After the puffs are set, lower the oven temperature to 180°C (350°F). Continue baking for another 15-20 minutes, or until they are a deep golden-brown and feel dry and light.
4. Cool Down: Turn off the oven. Prop the oven door open slightly and let the puffs sit in the cooling oven for 5-10 minutes. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 4: Assembly

1. Take your chilled coffee pastry cream out of the fridge. Give it a good whisk or a quick mix with a mixer to make it smooth and creamy again. Transfer it to a piping bag.
2. Take a cooled puff shell. Poke a small hole in the bottom or side with a skewer or the tip of your piping nozzle.
3. Pipe the coffee custard into the puff shell until it feels full and heavy.
4. Your Coffee Cream Puffs are ready! They are best served chilled.

Tips & Notes (For Perfect Coffee Cream Puffs)

• Optional: Craquelin (Crunchy Topping): For that professional, cracked-top look, you can add a craquelin.
  • Ingredients: 50 gr cold butter, 60 gr brown sugar, 60 gr all-purpose flour.
  • Method: Mix all ingredients until they form a crumbly dough, then press it together. Roll it thin between two sheets of parchment paper. Freeze. Cut out circles the same size as your piped puffs, and place one on top of each puff (Step 2, No. 9) before baking.
• Dough Consistency: The key to a good puff is the dough consistency. If it’s too runny (too much egg), the puffs will be flat. If it’s too stiff, they won’t rise properly.
• Cold Custard: Make sure the pastry cream is completely cold and firm before piping it into the shells. This keeps the shells from getting soggy.
• Coffee Intensity: Feel free to add more or less  Simplest Coffee to the custard to match your personal taste.

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