Shu Cream Recipe (Japanese Cream Puffs)

Quick Summary: Shu cream is the Japanese cream puff: crisp choux pastry shells filled with vanilla custard or sweetened whipped cream. This easy homemade recipe makes light, airy cream puffs from scratch and yields about 15.

Japanese shu cream is similar to German cream puffs, yet daintier, often with strawberry filling.

The Japanese are obsessed with shu cream "because of their texture, flavor, and the ease of eating them," as per Ayako Watanabe, who worked as a sous-chef at a bakery in Tokyo.

What is shu cream?

Shu cream is the Japanese name for a cream puff, and the word "shu" comes from the French "chou," meaning cabbage, after the puff's round shape.

Just as Japanese pastry chefs reinvented the beloved Mont Blanc dessert, they gave classic choux à la crème its own delicate spin, with a thinner, crisper shell and a lighter, less-sweet filling than the French original.

Japanese cream puffs have a wide variety of customizable delights, from the traditional Hokkaido cream puffs from Kitakaro confectionary shop to the globally-renowned Beard Papa cream puffs, and the indulgent Hokkaido Ice Cream Puffs Miri.

Why you'll love this recipe

• It is an authentic Japanese treat. Shu cream is one of Japan's most beloved desserts, sold everywhere from cake shops and cafes to convenience stores.
• It belongs to the choux family. This Japanese puff is part of the choux pastry family that also includes chouquettes, choux au craquelin, Paris-Brest, and gougères.
• It uses simple ingredients. This Japanese cream puff recipe relies on basic pantry staples and is easy to customize to your taste.
• It is light yet indulgent. The crisp, airy shell and silky pastry cream filling make it feel elegant without being heavy.
• It is perfect for any occasion. Serve shu cream at parties, afternoon tea, or as a make-ahead dessert that always impresses.

Ingredients

For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.

• Water: Tap, filtered, or mineral water is essential for making choux pastry dough.

• Salt enhances the pastry's flavor.

• Unsalted butter at room temperature is another essential ingredient of the pate à choux.

• All-purpose flour is used to make cream puff shells. Opt for wheat flour with a protein content of 11-14%.

In Japan, low-gluten flour (also known as cake flour 薄力粉) or thin-force flour is used for making choux pastry dough. Its protein content is less than 8%. You can easily find this flour in a Japanese grocery store.

• Eggs: The recipe calls for large eggs at room temperature. Use a kitchen scale to weigh the eggs. You may need to beat the eggs with a mini whisk, then measure out the amount of egg mixture you need. Half of the small egg is used for the egg wash.

• Heavy cream, or heavy whipping cream with at least 30% fat, is a must for whisking.

• Icing sugar (aka powdered or confectioners' sugar) is used to make creme Chantilly (aka sweetened whipped cream).

• Vanilla bean is optional and adds flavor to the sweetened whipped cream. Replace it with 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste.

• Strawberry: Opt for fresh strawberries and decorate your cream puffs as you desire.

Recipe variations

• Crispy almond shu cream: Sprinkle choux mounds with chopped almonds or top them with a crunchy craquelin (a cookie crust).
• Soy milk cream puffs: Make choux pastry with soy butter and stuff it with your favorite cream.
• Two-layer cream puffs: Stuff your choux puffs with plenty of custard filling and whipped cream.
• Cake-style Japanese cream puffs: Fill choux puffs with vanilla custard cream, whipped cream, and a variety of fresh fruits.

How to make shu cream

Making Japanese shu cream involves a few steps: making choux pastry shells, sweetened whipped cream, and assembling cream puffs.

Step 1: To make choux pastry, preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C). Take two pieces of parchment paper and draw about 1.5-inch (4 cm) circles with a distance of approximately 2 inches (5 cm) between them. Flip the paper over and put each on a baking sheet.

Step 2: Beat the eggs with a mini whisk in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, sift the flour.

Expert tip: Consult the Choux a la Crème recipe for step-by-step photos, helpful tips, and tricks.

Step 3: Bring the water, salt, and cubed butter to a boil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat.

Step 4: Remove the pot from the stove and immediately add sifted flour all at once. Stir the mixture with a wooden spoon, breaking up any lumps.

Step 5: Then bring the pot to low to medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until a thin film forms on the bottom of the pan and the dough comes away from the sides.

Step 6: Remove the pot from the heat, transfer it to a clean large bowl, and let it cool for 3-5 minutes. Flatten it with a rubber spatula to increase the surface area and help chill the dough faster.

Step 7: Add the beaten eggs little by little, mixing the dough well after each addition with a wooden spatula or a hand whisk. Alternatively, you can mix the eggs into the cooked dough using a hand mixer.

Step 8: When the dough reaches the right consistency, it becomes shiny and smooth. Lift the spatula and look at how the dough falls. It is done if it falls slowly and forms a letter V or a sharp inverted triangle.

Step 9: Place the dough in a pastry bag with a round tip, Ateco plain pastry tip 809. Squeeze it onto the paper-lined tray to make it 1.5 inches (4 cm) in diameter. Make sure to space the choux mounds out.

Step 10: Use a fork dipped in beaten egg or water to make a checkerboard pattern on top of each dough mound, and spray with water 1-2 times from about 30 cm away.

Pro tip: Adding a grid pattern to the dough prevents it from swelling into an irregular shape. 

Step 11: Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, one baking tray at a time, until golden brown. Don't open the oven door while baking!

Step 12: After 30-35 minutes, open the oven door and prick each shell with a bamboo skewer or toothpick, making 3-5 holes at the bottom. Bake for another 4 to 5 minutes longer. Then, remove the shells from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack.

Step 13: To make vanilla custard cream, follow the recipe for Italian pastry cream. This timeless and authentic cream recipe remains consistent with the version commonly used by Japanese pastry chefs.

Step 14: Alternatively, make sweetened whipped cream: follow the Chantilly Cream recipe.

Step 15: To assemble cream puffs, transfer the cream to a piping bag fitted with a star-shaped tip. Using a serrated knife, cut each pastry shell into ⅓ or ½ from the top. Cut washed, dried, and hulled strawberries into cubes.

Step 16: Place the strawberry on the bottom of the cream puffs (photo 1), pipe the cream (photo 2), and arrange some strawberries over the cream.

Step 17: Place the choux pastry topper on top and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

Pro tip: To assemble shu cream puffs with pastry cream, follow the pipe-in technique outlined in the Italian cream puffs recipe.

Expert Tips

1. For the best baking results, check the oven temperature with an oven thermometer to make sure the heating power is accurate.
2. Ensure you measure ingredients with a kitchen scale for the most accurate measurements.
3. Make-ahead option: Bake the cream puffs in advance and keep them unfilled in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Fill them with cream before serving or a few hours prior.

Can you make shu cream ahead of time?

Yes, shu cream is a great make-ahead dessert if you prepare the components separately and assemble them just before serving, which keeps the shells crisp.

• Bake the shells early. Bake the choux shells up to a day ahead and keep them in an airtight container, or freeze them for up to a month and re-crisp in a warm oven.
• Make the cream in advance. Prepare the pastry cream up to 2 days ahead, cover it directly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until you are ready to fill.
• Fill just before serving. Pipe the cream into the shells shortly before serving so they stay light and crisp rather than turning soft.

Storing & freezing

Japanese cream puffs with custard or whipped cream filling are best eaten on the same day. Due to the dairy nature of the cream ingredients, don't store them for longer than 24 hours, even when refrigerated.

Can you freeze shu cream? It is not advisable to freeze the already assembled shu cream. However, freezing raw and baked choux pastry is possible.

• Unbaked choux puffs. To freeze choux pastry mounds, place them on baking paper and freeze them for 2-3 hours. Once solid, transfer them into labeled freezing bags and store them for up to 3 months.

Simply bake them straight from the freezer when ready to serve, adjusting the baking time by 5 to 10 minutes for optimal results.

• Baked, unfilled, and unglazed choux puffs. Simply store them in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw them at room temperature, then pop them in the oven preheated to 355°F (180°C) for 5-7 minutes.

Recipe FAQ

What is shu cream in English?
Shu cream means Japanese cream puff. It is made from traditional choux pastry dough, filled with custard or whipped cream, and named after the French word "chou" for the pastry.

How many calories are in a cream puff?
One cream puff from this recipe has about 178 calories, based on a shell filled with sweetened whipped cream and strawberries. The exact number varies with the filling and size.

What is the difference between a shu cream and a regular cream puff?
They are essentially the same pastry. Shu cream is simply the Japanese version of the French choux à la crème, usually a little daintier and often filled with vanilla custard, fresh cream, or strawberries.

What is the history of shu cream?
French cream puffs were introduced to Japan in the 1860s, when a pastry shop opened in Yokohama. The technique spread among Japanese confectioners, and by the early 1900s, cream puffs were widely available across Japan.

Love choux pastry? Try these next!

• Paris-Brest Dessert
• Sugar-free Cream Puffs
• Nun's Farts
• Cream Puff's Dessert

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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.