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Shu Cream (Japanese Cream Puffs)

Shu cream puff on a grey dessert plate.
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This shu cream recipe makes light Japanese cream puffs from scratch, with crisp choux pastry shells and a smooth, rich vanilla cream filling.

Ingredients

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For the choux pastry:

  • 1/2 cup + 1/2 tablespoon (125 g) water
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 2 oz. (60 g) unsalted butter
  • 2/3 cup (80 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup (125 g) whole eggs, room temperature

For the egg wash:

  • 1/2 small egg

For the sweetened whipped cream:

  • 1 2/3 cups (400 g) heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup (30 g) icing (confectioners') sugar
  • 1 vanilla bean

For filling:

  • 12.4 oz. (350 g) fresh strawberries

For dusting:

  • 1/4 cup (30 g) confectioners' sugar

Instructions

  1. To make the 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. Beat eggs with a mini whisk in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, sift the flour. 
  2. Bring the water, salt, and cubed butter to a boil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. 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. 
  3. 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. 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. 
  4. 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. 
  5. 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. 
  6. 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. 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. 
  7. 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! 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. 
  8. To make the cream filling, whip the cold heavy cream, icing sugar, and scraped seeds of the vanilla bean with an electric or stand mixer until firm.
  9. To assemble the shu cream, transfer it to a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Using a serrated knife, cut each pastry shell into 1/3 or 1/2 from the top. Cut washed, dried, and hulled strawberries into cubes. Place the strawberry on the bottom of the cream puffs, pipe the cream, and arrange some strawberries over the cream. Place the top of the choux pastry on top and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

Notes

  1. Consult the recipes for Choux à la Crème and Chantilly Cream for more tips and tricks.
  2. To assemble shu cream puffs with pastry cream, make the cream and follow the pipe-in technique outlined in the Italian cream puffs recipe.
  3. For the best baking results, check the oven temperature with an oven thermometer to make sure the heating power is accurate.
  4. Ensure you measure ingredients with a kitchen scale for the most accurate measurements.
  5. 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.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://www.bakinglikeachef.com/shu-cream-japanese-cream-puff/