Special Italian Cream Puffs with Custard Filling

Instructions

1. Preheat the Oven: Start by preheating your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier. The parchment paper also ensures the pastry bakes evenly without sticking to the pan.
2. Prepare the Puff Pastry: Take the thawed puff pastry sheet and use a round cutter to slice it into circles. The size of the cutter will determine the size of the cream puffs, but aim for about 2-3 inches in diameter. Arrange the pastry circles on the prepared baking sheet, ensuring they are spaced evenly apart. Using a fork, gently prick each pastry circle to prevent them from puffing too much during baking, which helps them bake evenly. Bake the pastry for 15–18 minutes, or until they turn golden brown and crisp. Once baked, remove from the oven and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack.
3. Make the Custard Filling: In a medium saucepan, combine the whole milk, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and a pinch of salt. Whisk the ingredients together to dissolve the cornstarch and sugar. Place the saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly to prevent the mixture from scorching. Continue to cook the mixture until it begins to thicken. Once thickened, remove the saucepan from the heat.
4. Temper the Egg Yolks: In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks to break them up. Gradually pour a small amount of the hot milk mixture into the yolks while whisking quickly. This step is known as tempering, and it helps to slowly raise the temperature of the eggs without scrambling them. Once the yolks are warmed, gradually add them back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture, stirring constantly. Return the saucepan to the stove and cook over low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly until the custard is smooth and thickened. The custard should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
5. Finish the Custard: Once the custard has thickened, remove it from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and unsalted butter. The butter will give the custard a silky, smooth texture and a rich flavor. Stir until the butter is completely melted and the custard is fully combined. Transfer the custard to a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap (placing the wrap directly on the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming), and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to allow it to set.
6. Assemble the Cream Puffs: Once the custard is chilled and the puff pastry circles are cool, it’s time to assemble the cream puffs. Carefully slice each puff pastry circle in half horizontally, creating a top and bottom for the puff. Spoon or pipe a generous amount of the chilled custard onto the bottom half of each pastry. Be careful not to overfill, as you want to make sure the top half fits snugly on top. Once the bottom is filled, place the top half of the pastry gently over the custard to form a sandwich.

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