Strawberries & Cream Puffs

Yields 18–24 mini cream puffs

🥚 Choux Pastry (Pâte à Choux)

Ingredients:

• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

• 1 cup water

• ¼ tsp salt

• 1 tsp sugar

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 4 large eggs

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment.

2. In a saucepan, bring butter, water, salt, and sugar to a boil.

3. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and add flour all at once. Stir vigorously until it forms a ball and pulls away from the sides (about 1–2 mins).

4. Transfer to a mixer bowl and let cool 5 minutes.

5. Beat in eggs one at a time on medium speed. The dough should be thick, glossy, and pipeable.

6. Pipe into 1.5-inch rounds (or use a spoon), spacing apart.

7. Bake for 20–25 minutes until puffed and golden. Don’t open the oven early! Let cool completely.

🍓 Strawberry Mascarpone Cream

Ingredients:

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

• ½ cup mascarpone cheese (room temp)

• 3 Tbsp powdered sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• ½ cup finely chopped fresh strawberries

• Optional: 1 tsp strawberry preserves or reduction for more color/flavor

Instructions:

1. In a chilled bowl, whip cream, mascarpone, sugar, and vanilla until soft peaks form.

2. Gently fold in chopped strawberries. Add preserves if you want a pinker hue and slightly stronger strawberry note.

3. Chill until ready to pipe.

🍫 Optional Strawberry Glaze (for the tops)

Ingredients:

• ½ cup powdered sugar

• 1–2 Tbsp puréed strawberries or strawberry juice

• A few drops lemon juice

Instructions:

1. Mix until it’s thick but pourable. Drizzle or dip the tops of puffs once assembled.

🧁 Assembly

1. Slice puffs horizontally (like a sandwich).

2. Pipe or spoon a swirl of strawberry cream into the base.

3. Add the top half back on.

4. Drizzle with strawberry glaze, powdered sugar, or garnish with a mint leaf or edible flower petal.