Cream Puffs with Caramel Sauce
Submitted by tenlor
Golden cream puffs filled with tangy vanilla custard and drizzled with homemade caramel sauce. Three components, one spectacular from-scratch dessert.
YIELD
10 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
50 minREADY
1 hrsThis is a three-part dessert that looks like it came from a patisserie, but every piece is made from scratch in your own kitchen.
Golden choux puffs get split open and stuffed with a tangy vanilla custard that has a secret weapon: sour cream (or yogurt) stirred in for a subtle zing that keeps the sweetness in check.
Then comes the brown sugar caramel sauce, buttery and glossy, spooned over the top while it’s still warm.
The contrast between crispy shell, cool custard, and warm caramel is the kind of thing that ends conversations at the dinner table.
Kitchen Tips
- Cool the choux dough for a full 10 minutes before adding eggs; rushing this step leads to flat puffs.
- Scoop out any soft, uncooked dough from inside the baked puffs so the filling has room and the shells stay crisp.
- Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the custard while it chills to prevent a skin from forming.
- The caramel may look curdled as it cooks; just keep stirring and it will come together smooth.
Ingredients
Directions
CREAM PUFFS: In a medium saucepan, combine butter, 1 cup water, and ⅛ teaspoons salt.
Bring to boiling.
Add flour all at once, stirring vigorously.
Cook and stir until mixture forms a ball that doesn’t separate.
Remove from heat.
Cool 10 minutes.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating with a wooden spoon after each addition until smooth.
Drop batter by heaping tablespoons, 3 inches apart, onto a greased baking sheet.
Bake in a 400 degree F oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden.
Cool on a wire rack.
Split puffs and remove any soft dough from inside.
Fill.
TANGY VANILLA FILLING: In a heavy medium saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch.
Stir in milk.
Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture is thickened and bubbly.
Cook and stir for 2 minutes more.
Remove from heat.
Gradually stir about 1 cup of the hot mixture into beaten egg yolks.
Return all of the egg mixture to the saucepan.
Bring to a gentle boil.
Reduce heat.
Cook and stir for 2 minutes more.
Remove from heat.
Stir in vanilla.
Pour pudding into a bowl.
Cover the surface with clear plastic wrap.
Chill.
Before filling cream puffs, stir in sour cream or yogurt.
CARAMEL SAUCE: In a heavy saucepan, mix sugar and cornstarch.
Stir in ¼ cup water.
Stir in cream and corn syrup.
Cook and stir until bubbly (mixture may appear curdled).
Cook and stir for 2 minutes more.
Remove from heat.
Stir in butter and vanilla.
Cool slightly and spoon over filled cream puffs.
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