Cream Puff Swans

These are the show-off dessert of the French pastry world. Choux dough piped into S-shaped necks and oval bodies, baked until puffed and golden, then assembled into swans filled with sweetened whipped cream and mandarin oranges. They look like they came from a patisserie window, but the components are surprisingly straightforward.

The choux dough is the classic formula: butter melted in water, flour stirred in until a ball forms, then eggs beaten in one at a time. The dough needs to be smooth and glossy before you pipe. One-third goes into S-shapes for the necks, the rest into pointed ovals for the bodies.

The necks bake faster than the bodies, so they go in later. The oval tops get cut off and split in half to become wings that tuck into the whipped cream behind each neck. It’s clever assembly that looks far more complex than it actually is.

Pro Tips

• Beat each egg in completely before adding the next. Partially mixed eggs leave lumps that clog the piping tip.
• Pipe the S-shapes with a confident, smooth motion. Hesitation creates bumps in the necks.
• Scoop any raw, wet dough from inside the baked bodies before filling. Uncooked choux tastes gummy and will make the cream soggy.
• Assemble and serve immediately. Choux softens quickly once filled with cream.

Variations

• Fill with pastry cream instead of whipped cream for a richer, more stable filling.
• Drizzle melted chocolate over the finished swans for an elegant chocolate swan.
• Swap mandarin oranges for fresh raspberries or sliced strawberries.