Let’s Make EggNog Cream Puffs
I used to hate cream puffs, but they are actually one of the best desserts out there. But these Eggnog Cream puffs bring the normal cream puffs into the next level. The custard is super creamy, rich and delicious. it completely destroys normal whip cream. NO HATE NO SHADE, but I sorta HATE whipped cream.
The Craquelin is completely optional but it truly makes the recipe a stellar recipe. it gives it a crunchy, salty, and aromatic twist, asides from the beauty crumbly texture. It’s super easy to make and only takes about 30 minutes.
The Pate a Choux dough is a little tricky to make, but as long as you follow my recipes and read my notes, then they should come out perfectly fine.
You don’t necessarily have to inject them in with a piping bag like I did. You can cut the Puffs in half and then dollop some of the Eggnog Custard Cream in the middle.
Let’s Get Cooking!
More In-Depth Recipe at the Bottom
Eggnog Cream Puffs: Rich Christmas Bitches Only
Ingredients
Choux Dough:
- ½ C Milk
- ½ C Water
- 1 Stick Butter
- 1 Tsp Sugar
- ¾ Tsp Salt
- 1 C Flour
- 5 Large Eggs
Craquelin Topping (Optional)
- ½ C Sugar
- 1 Stick Butter
- 1 Cup Flour
- Pinch of Salt
- Pinch of Nutmeg (Optional)
Eggnog Pastry Cream:
- 2 C Eggnog
- ¼ C Sugar
- ¼ C Cornstarch
- ⅛ Tsp Nutmeg (Adjust to Taste)
- ⅛ Tsp Clove (Ground & Adjust to Taste)
- ⅛ Tsp Cinnamon (Optional & Adjust to Taste)
- 1 Splash Vanilla
- 3 Tbsp Butter
- 1 C Heavy Whipping Cream (to be whipped into stiff whipping cream)
- 2 Large Egg Yolks
Instructions
To Make The EggNog Pastry Cream
- In a pot, mix together Sugar, Cornstarch, Eggnog, and Yolks. Put the pot on medium heat and whisk constantly until it thickens into a custard. Remove from heat and mix in the Butter and Vanilla to cool it down. It is done when the whisk leaves a structured ribbon after being pull away from the custard
- Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until cool for about 30-60 minutes.
- In a mixing bowl, Whip Heavy Cream until it has reached stiff peaks. Smooth out the custard with a whisk and fold in Whipped Cream.
To make the Craquelin Topping (Optional)
- Beat together the Butter, Nutmeg and Sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the flour and mix on medium speed until a crumbly dough forms. Squeeze it together into a homogenous dough and flatten into a 1/8 inch thick rectangle on parchment paper. Put it into the fridge to chill until cold-about 20 minutes.
- Cut out small circles and place on top of choux rounds before baking.
To Make the Choux
- In a medium high heat pot, bring the Milk, Water, Butter, Sugar, and Salt to a simmer. Bring the stove to low and add the Flour and mix it in quickly. Stir until a dry film develops at the bottom of the pot, about 1 minute.
- Transfer to a mixer and let the dough cool for at least 3 minutes or until room temp. Beat in the eggs one at a time on medium low speed until the eggs have fully mixed in. The dough should stick to the mixer paddle and fall into a luscious V-shape.
- Preheat oven to 450 F and pipe batter into round dollops that are at least 2.5 inches apart from each other. Top it with the Craquelin circle and/or use a wet finger to flatten the peaks of the dollops to brush the tops with egg wash evenly
- Put the baking sheet into the oven and turn off the heat and bake for 10 minutes. Turn the heat on again to 350 and bake for 20-25 minutes. You may want to put the baking sheet in the middle to bottom rack and put a baking sheet on the top rack to prevent burning of the Craquelin.
- After baking, turn off the oven and crack open the oven to let the Cream Puff Shells cool until at room temp to fully dry them out. About 30-50 minutes.
Assembly
- Use a knife to poke an “x” at the bottom of the cooled Cream Puff Shells, or use a chopstick to poke a hole at the bottom of the Shells.
- Fill a piping bag with the Eggnog Pastry Cream and fill the Cream Puff Shells.
Notes
In-Depth Recipe
Eggnog Cream Puffs
Eggnog Pastry Cream
1. In a pot, mix together Sugar, Cornstarch, Eggnog, and Yolks. Put the pot on medium heat and whisk constantly until it thickens into a custard. It is done when the whisk can be pulled away to leave a structured ribbon. Remove from heat and mix in the Butter and Vanilla to cool everything down. Constantly mixing will prevent the custard from burning and coagulating/splitting into a disgusting mess
2. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap so that it touches the surface of the custard directly. By putting the plastic wrap flush to the custard, the plastic wrap acts as an artificial skin to the custard so that the custard doesn’t develop a thick skin. Chill in the refrigerator until cool for about 30-60 minutes. It’s important to completely chill the custard so that it doesn’t deflate the whipped cream and fold improperly. (Poking is optional)
3. In a mixing bowl, Whip Heavy Cream until it has reached stiff peaks. Smooth out the custard with a whisk and fold in Whipped Cream.
Craquelin Topping (Optional)
1. Beat together the Butter, Nutmeg and Sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the flour and mix on medium speed until a crumbly dough forms. Squeeze it together into a homogenous dough and flatten into a 1/8 inch thick rectangle on parchment paper. Put it into the fridge to chill until cold-about 20 minutes.
2. Cut out small circles and place on top of choux rounds before baking.
Choux
1. In a medium high heat pot, bring the Milk, Water, Butter, Sugar, and Salt to a simmer. Bring the stove to low and add the Flour and mix it in quickly. Stir until a dry film develops at the bottom of the pot to dehydrate the dough, about 1 minute. You want a dry film to develop at the bottom of the pan when dehydrating the dough so that the dough won’t collapse in the oven and will puff up instead. You can ensure this by mixing the dough in the hot pan for about 1 minute or until a homogenous dry film develops. It is way better to over dehydrate rather than overhydrate.
2. Transfer to a mixer and let the dough cool for at least 3 minutes or until room temp. By letting it cool, it ensures that the batter won’t spread as much and the eggs won’t cook and curdle when mixed in.Beat in the eggs one at a time on medium low speed until the eggs have fully mixed in. The dough should stick to the mixer paddle and fall into a luscious V-shape.
3. Preheat oven to 450 F and pipe batter into round 2 inch dollops with at least 2.5 inches apart from each other. You can always pipe smaller dollops for smaller cream puffs, but the video shows 2 inch dollops. Top it with the Craquelin circle and/or use a wet finger to flatten the peaks of the dollops. (optional) brush the tops with egg wash (Mix 1 egg yolk +1 Tsp Cream or water) evenly. If the dollops aren’t space correctly and collide when baking and expanding, they will have a higher likelihood of collapsing.
4. Put the baking sheet into the oven and turn off the heat and bake for 10 minutes. Turn the heat on again to 350 and bake for 20-25 minutes. You may want to put the baking sheet in the middle to bottom rack and put a baking sheet on the top rack to prevent burning of the Craquelin.
5. After baking, turn off the oven and crack open the oven to let the Cream Puff Shells cool until at room temp to fully dry them out. About 30-50 minutes. Completely dry out the Cream Puff Shells after baking so that they will develop a nice crunch and won’t become soggy or break when filling. This will prevent it from becoming too fragile. If it can be held in the hand without falling apart or collapsing, that means it has properly finished baking. Extra points for a glossy bottom.
Assembly
1. Use a knife to poke an “x” at the bottom of the cooled Cream Puff Shells, or use a chopstick to poke a hole at the bottom of the Shells.
2. Fill a piping bag with the Eggnog Pastry Cream and fill the Cream Puff Shells.
