Happy New Year! I don't do new year's resolutions, nor do I subscribe to the health craze that takes everyone over the first six weeks of the year. I'm definitely an "everything in moderation, including moderation" (-Oscar Wilde) kind of gal. So--obviously--we need Dulce de Leche Cream Puffs.
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These gorgeous Dulce de Leche Cream Puffs are a classic cream puff filled with dulce de leche cream, dipped in thick, shiny dark chocolate glaze, then drizzled with more dulce de leche. Life is about *living*, people.
When I saw that January 2nd is National Cream Puff Day, I knew that I needed to cross this recipe off my list! What better day than National Cream Puff day to finally whip them up? New year, new project!
Cream puffs were on my baking bucket list because I've never *successfully* made them before. I think I tried two separate times and they turned out as delicious little FLAT pancakes. There was no puff in my cream puffs. It was super frustrating. Well, I finally got the recipe and technique down for these little beauties! There are a number of times in the recipe where little things can lead to less than stellar results, so I made sure to highlight those!
There aren't really any specialty ingredients in this recipe since (I think) you can find dulce de leche is most grocery stores now. I do use vanilla bean paste in my dulce de leche cream. It's no secret that I love vanilla bean paste. It's soooo tasty without the vanilla bean price tag (and it pretty much stays good forever). If you prefer to substitute, you could use 1 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. If you'd like to get some vanilla bean paste and you can't find it in your local grocery store (I never can), you can find some here.
So *perhaps* Dulce de Leche Cream Puffs don't speak to you now, but join me! These are WORTH IT! Eat one and then go for a run. Eat another and do the seven loads of laundry that you ignored over the holidays (just me?). Just, please eat one. Or two. Zero judgement (I'd even be proud).
I hope this new year is a fun, healthy, SWEET one for all of you!
Other posts you may like:
Chocolate, Salted Caramel, & Hazelnut Tartlets
Strawberry Shortcake Cream Puffs
Salted Caramel and Chocolate Meringues
Cream puff recipe adapted from Pierre Herme Pastries (link here). I get that I shouldn't adapt any Pierre Herme recipe. I get that, but here we are. 😀
Dulce de Leche Cream Puffs
Ingredients
Cream Puffs (Choux Pastry):
Dulce de Leche Cream:
- 2 cups heavy (whipping) cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (see note)
- 1 cup dulce de leche
Dark Chocolate Ganache:
- 4 oz dark chocolate (I used 60% bittersweet)
- ½ cup heavy (whipping) cream
Dulce de Leche Drizzle:
- 2 tablespoon dulce de leche
Instructions
For Cream Puffs (Choux Pastry):
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Line baking sheet with parchment and set aside.
- Combine water, milk, sugar, salt, and butter in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. While still on the heat, add the flour. Quickly beat mixture with a wooden spoon until smooth and shiny. Mixture will pull away from the sides of the pan. (Do not underbeat or cream puffs may deflate later!)
- Once mixture is thoroughly combined, scrape it into the bowl of a stand mixer. Turn the mixer on low speed. With mixer running, add eggs one a time, allowing each egg to incorporate and mixture to become smooth before adding the next.
- Transfer batter to a pastry bag and cut a hole in the end (about ⅓" across). Pipe mounds of choux pastry at least 2" apart, each about 2" across and ¾" tall (see notes). With those dimensions, you get about 24 cream puffs.
- Place the baking sheet in the oven and turn the oven off. Bake 10 minutes with the oven off. Turn oven back on to 350 F and bake another 10 minutes. Then, turn the oven off again, leaving the cream puffs to finish baking for another 10 minutes (This is 30 minutes in the oven total). Resist the urge to open the oven until baking is complete, as this could deflate your cream puffs!.
- Once the cream puffs are baked, remove from the oven and poke a hole in the top of each with a toothpick. This will allow any residual steam to escape (otherwise, your cream puffs could deflate...sensing a trend here?). Allow cream puffs to cool completely.
For Cream:
- Combine cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla bean paste (see note) in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, beat mixture on medium-high speed until peaks are formed.
- Spoon dulce de leche into a medium bowl. Add the whipped cream mixture ⅓ at a time, taking care to fold the mixture to maintain its light texture.
- Place the dulce de leche cream into a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip (I used a #7). Using the tip, poke a small hole in the bottom of each cream puff and fill with the cream.
For Ganache:
- Place chocolate and cream in a small heatproof bowl. Place in the microwave on 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until smooth. Mixture will be thick and glossy.
- Dip the tops of each of the filled cream puffs in the ganache. Allow to set.
For Drizzle:
- Place dulce de leche in a small heatproof bowl and microwave on 15-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until warm and smooth.
- Place warmed dulce de leche in a pastry bag or zip-top bag with a cut corner. Drizzle the dulce de leche over each filled/glazed cream puff.Enjoy!
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