Quick Summary: Italian cream puffs are baked choux pastry shells filled with luscious custard (Italian pastry cream). They are light, airy, and ready in about an hour, making an elegant Italian dessert for any occasion.
What are Italian cream puffs?
Italian cream puffs are Italian choux pastry desserts made with choux pastry (pasta choux in Italian) and filled with luscious pastry cream. The Italians often call them baked Bignè di San Giuseppe, Bignè alla Crema, or Bocconcini con Crema, meaning morsels with cream. Other names for this pastry include cream puffs with custard filling and custard cream puffs.
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Italian cream puffs vs. St. Joseph's cream puffs
Italian cream puffs are a baked classic of Italian cuisine made with choux pastry and filled with pastry cream.
St. Joseph's cream puffs, or St. Joseph's pastries, are fried choux pastry donuts filled with pastry cream and topped with tart black cherries.
However, the oven-baked version boasts an even richer filling. Also known as Zeppole di San Giuseppe, these are a hallmark of St. Joseph's Day, celebrated on March 19th.
Ingredients
For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.
- Water is essential for making panade, a dough of butter, salt, water, and flour, a step in making the classic choux pastry. The water evaporates while baking, generating steam that raises the choux puffs. You can replace it with milk, or use half milk and half water if desired.
- Salt
- Butter: Use unsalted butter, preferably grass-fed and organic. It should be at room temperature and cut into small cubes. If you use salted butter, omit salt in this case. Margarine is not advisable, but a possible option.
- Flour: The authentic recipe calls for Italian flour 00. If you prefer, you can replace it with all-purpose flour. In general, choose the "weak" flour with a protein content of 11-14%.
- Large eggs at room temperature. To weigh the eggs, beat them with a mini whisk and use a kitchen scale to determine how much of the egg mixture you need. One small egg is used for the egg wash.
- Whole milk
- Heavy cream
- Granulated sugar
- Cornstarch is used as a thickener for making pastry cream.
- Vanilla bean: Replace it with 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste. If the dessert is served to adults, you can replace the vanilla flavor with Sambuca or Amaretto.
How to make Italian cream puffs step-by-step
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 410°F (210°C). Use a pencil to draw 1-inch (2.5 cm) circles with a 2-inch (5 cm) spacing on parchment paper. Turn the paper over and place it on a baking tray. This template will help produce uniform-sized choux puffs.
Step 2: To make choux pastry, combine water, salt, and cubed butter in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan. Bring the pot over medium heat to a boil (photo 1).
Pro tip: Do not use any of the utensils to mix. Ensure that the butter melts before the liquid comes to a boil.
Step 3: Remove the pot from the heat and immediately add the sifted flour. Use a wooden spoon to stir the mixture, working the lumps as you go (photo 2).
Step 4: Bring the saucepan back to low to medium heat and cook, stirring, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pan and forms a ball (photo 3). This basic cream puff batter, before adding eggs, is called a polentina in Italian and panade in French.
Step 5: Transfer the panade to a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment and let it cool for 3-5 minutes. Flatten it with a spatula to increase the surface area, or run the mixer at low speed for 2-3 minutes.
Step 6: Whisk the eggs in a small bowl with a mini whisk, as for an omelet. Add the beaten eggs in a few additions, beating well between each addition (photo 4).
Pro tip: Do not add all the eggs at once: you risk making the choux pastry too runny.
The choux pastry should have a slightly resistant texture after adding the eggs, requiring minimal effort to drop from the spatula.
Use a finger test or V-test to check the choux pastry's consistency. Read more in the recipe for Choux à la Crème.
Step 7: Place the dough in a pastry bag with a round tip, Ateco plain tip 804, Wilton 1A, or a large star tip. Pipe choux puffs of about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter (the size of a walnut) on a baking sheet lined with parchment (photo 5). Ensure your piping bag is held at a 90-degree angle to the baking sheet.
Use your dominant hand to press out the dough, while your other hand can guide the bag if needed. Space the choux buns out.
Pro tip: Alternatively, scoop the pastry dough onto the baking sheet using two teaspoons, a medium cookie scoop, or an ice cream scoop.
Step 8: Press down the spikes of the choux mounds with a wet finger or gently apply the beaten egg with a pastry brush.
Step 9: Bake the choux puffs in the preheated oven for 20 minutes until golden brown. Do not open the oven door while baking! After 20 minutes, open the oven door, turn each choux over, and prick a hole in the base with a sharp knife. This helps the steam escape and creates a crispy choux puff outside.
Bake the choux puffs on their sides for a further 4 to 5 minutes. Then, remove the choux pastry from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack (photo 6).
Step 10: To make Italian pastry cream, consult the Crema Pasticcera recipe for step-by-step, photographed explanations, helpful tips, and tricks. Keep the pastry cream covered with plastic wrap until ready to use.
Step 11: To assemble Italian cream puffs, there are two ways to fill them:
- Piped-in technique
Make a hole in the bottom of each choux puff using the tip of a paring knife or a small piping tip (Ateco plain tip 8). Insert the tip of the pastry cream-filled bag into the hole in each choux and pipe until the cream fills the hole. Wipe away excess pastry cream with your finger.
- Sandwich-style filling technique
Use a serrated knife to cut off the tops crosswise. Then, using a pastry bag filled with cream or a spoon, fill the bottom of each choux puff with cream. Replace the tops. Repeat until all choux puffs are filled. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.
How to assemble Italian cream puffs
Once the choux puffs have baked and cooled completely and the Italian pastry cream is chilled, you are ready to fill them. Cool puffs are essential, as warm shells will melt the custard filling. There are two easy ways to assemble Italian cream puffs:
- Fill from the bottom: Make a small hole in the base of each puff with a paring knife or a plain piping tip, insert a pastry bag of custard, and pipe until the cream just reaches the opening. Wipe away any excess with your finger.
- Cut and fill: Slice off the top of each puff crosswise with a serrated knife, pipe or spoon the custard filling into the bottom, and replace the tops.
Either way, dust the filled cream puffs with powdered sugar just before serving for a classic finish. Fill the puffs as close to serving time as possible so the choux stays crisp.
Expert Tips
- Consult the Choux à la Crème recipe for more tips and tricks, and read about what to do with failed choux pastry.
- Measure ingredients with a kitchen scale rather than measuring cups for accurate baking results.
- For the best results, bake one tray at a time. While baking the first pan, prepare the second pan with piped choux buns and leave it at room temperature.
- Make-ahead option: Bake the cream puff shells in advance and keep them unfilled in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Fill them just before serving or a few hours prior.
Recipe variations
Explore different cream puff fillings, including store-bought instant vanilla pudding mix, if you are in a hurry. Plus, discover various pastry cream variations for a unique twist on traditional Italian cream puffs.
- Classic Italian pastry cream
- Lemon pastry cream
- Sugar-free whipped cream
- Sweetened whipped cream (aka Chantilly cream)
- Diplomat Cream
- Ricotta Cream
- Ice cream
- Gelato
Storing & freezing
It is best to consume Italian cream puffs with custard filling on the same day they are made. Store them in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
Can you freeze Italian cream puffs? While some Italian chefs recommend freezing the choux pastry filled with pastry cream, I do not. But you can freeze raw and baked choux puffs.
- Unbaked choux puffs. Place the piped choux pastry mounds on baking paper and freeze for 2-3 hours. Then transfer them to freezer bags or a freezer-friendly box and freeze for up to 3 months.
Bake choux pastry puffs straight from the freezer, adding 5 to 10 minutes to the baking time.
- Baked, unfilled, and unglazed choux puffs. Place them in a freezer bag or a freezer-friendly box and freeze them for up to 3 months.
Once ready to serve, let the puffs thaw at room temperature, then place them in the preheated oven at 355°F (180°C) for about 5-7 minutes. Fill the puffs with cream and serve.
Recipe FAQ
What is the Italian name for cream puffs?
Italian cream puffs are known as Bocconcini con Crema, which translates to "morsels with cream" in English. They are also called Bignè alla Crema.
What are Italian cream puffs called?
Classic Italian cream puffs are known as Italian custard cream puffs. Those made for St. Joseph's Day are called St. Joseph's cream puffs, St. Joseph's pastries, Bignè di San Giuseppe, and Zeppole di San Giuseppe.
What are Italian cream puffs with custard filling made of?
They are made with Italian choux pastry (pasta choux) shells, baked until light and airy, then filled with luscious Italian pastry cream (crema Pasticcera) for a rich custard.
What is Italian choux pastry?
Italian choux pastry, or pasta choux, is a light dough of water, butter, salt, flour, and eggs. It puffs up in the oven, forming hollow shells ideal for custard fillings.
Can you make Italian cream puffs ahead of time?
Yes. Bake the unfilled cream puff shells up to 3 days in advance and store them at room temperature in an airtight container. Fill them with pastry cream just before serving to keep them crisp.
Should cream puffs be refrigerated?
Cream puffs filled with dairy-based cream must be refrigerated and consumed within 24 hours.
Love Italian dessert recipes? Try these next!
If you are a fan of Italian desserts, then you will not want to miss out on these delightful treats:
- Italian Shortbread Cookies
- Cantucci Toscani
- Italian Mimosa Cake
- Authentic Italian Tiramisu
- Italian Carrot Cake
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PrintRecipe card
Italian Cream Puffs (with Custard Filling)
Italian cream puffs are made with classic choux pastry dough and filled with luscious Italian pastry cream. These are blissfully light, airy, and absolutely delicious.
- Prep Time: 50 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
- Yield: about 50 1x
- Category: Choux pastry
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
For the choux puffs:
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 3.9 oz (110 g) unsalted butter
- 7.9 fl oz (235 ml) water
- 1 cup + 2 ½ tablespoon (145 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 pinch of salt
Filling for puffs:
- 3 quantities of Italian pastry cream
For decoration:
- 1 tablespoon icing (powdered) sugar
Instructions
- To make choux puffs, preheat the oven to 410°F (210°C). Use a pencil to draw 1-inch (2.5 cm) circles spaced 2 inches (5 cm) apart on parchment paper. Turn the paper over and place it on a baking tray.
- In a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan, combine water, salt, and cubed butter. Bring the pot over medium heat to a boil. Remove the pot from the heat and immediately add sifted flour all at once. Use a wooden spoon to stir the mixture, breaking up the lumps as you go.
- Bring the saucepan back to low to medium heat and cook, stirring, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pan and forms a ball.
- Transfer the cooked dough to a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment and let it cool for 3-5 minutes. Flatten it with a spatula to increase the surface area, or run the mixer at low speed for 2-3 minutes.
- Whisk eggs like for an omelet in a small bowl, using a mini whisk. Add the beaten eggs in a few additions, beating well between each addition. The choux pastry should have a slightly resistant texture after adding the eggs, requiring minimal effort to drop from the spatula.
- Place the dough in a pastry bag with a round tip (Ateco plain tip 804), Wilton 1A, or a large star tip. Pipe choux puffs of about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter - the size of a walnut - on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Ensure your piping bag is held at a 90-degree angle to the baking sheet. Use your dominant hand to press out the dough, and use your other hand to guide the bag if needed. Make sure to space choux buns out.
- Press down the spikes of the choux mounds with a wet finger or gently apply the beaten egg with a pastry brush. Bake choux puffs in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, until golden brown. Do not open the oven door while baking!
- After 20 minutes, open the oven door, turn each choux over, and prick a hole in the base with a sharp knife. Bake the choux puffs on their sides for a further 4 to 5 minutes. Then, remove the choux pastry from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack.
- To make the choux puffs filling, follow the recipe for Italian pastry cream.
- To assemble the cream puffs, whisk the custard with the hand whisk to regain consistency. Make a hole in the bottom of each choux puff using the tip of a paring knife or a small piping tip (Ateco plain tip 8). Insert the tip of the pastry cream-filled bag into the hole in each choux and pipe until the cream fills the hole. Wipe away excess pastry cream with your finger. Repeat until all choux puffs are filled. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.
Notes
- Consult the troubleshooting section for the Choux à la Crème recipe and read about how to fix choux pastry.
- Measure ingredients with a kitchen scale rather than measuring cups for accurate baking results.
- For the best results, bake one tray at a time. In this case, while the first pan is baking, prepare the other one with piped choux buns and leave them at room temperature.
- Make-ahead option: Bake the cream puff shells in advance and keep them unfilled in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Fill them just before serving or a few hours prior.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cream puff
- Calories: 83
- Sugar: 4.2 g
- Sodium: 17 mg
- Fat: 5.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 7.8 g
- Fiber: 0.1 g
- Protein: 1.8 g
- Cholesterol: 71 mg
The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.
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