Vanilla Cream Puffs with Salted Caramel

Light and crisp pearl sugar cream puffs filled with silky vanilla diplomat cream and a smooth salted caramel center. A delicious twist on classic French chouquettes, combining crisp choux pastry, airy vanilla cream, and rich salted caramel in every bite.

Yield: About 18–22 filled cream puffs
Prep time: About 1 hour
Chilling time: 3–4 hours minimum
Bake time: About 45 minutes

Equipment

• Small saucepans

• Mixing bowls

• Whisk

• Rubber spatula

• Immersion blender

• Electric hand mixer or stand mixer

• Piping bags

• 8–10 mm round piping tip

• Small filling tip

• Baking sheet

• Parchment paper or silicone baking mat

• Digital kitchen scale

• Wire cooling rack

Ingredients

Smooth Salted Caramel

• 150 g granulated sugar

• 160 g heavy cream

• 10 g honey

• 60 g salted butter, cut into small pieces

Vanilla Pastry Cream

• 250 g whole milk

• 1 vanilla bean

• 50 g egg yolks

• 50 g granulated sugar

• 20 g cornstarch

• 4 g powdered gelatin

• 20 g cold water, for blooming the gelatin

• 25 g unsalted butter

Vanilla Diplomat Cream

• Vanilla pastry cream

• 150 g heavy cream, very cold

Choux Pastry

• 33 g water

• 33 g whole milk

• 33 g unsalted butter

• 3 g granulated sugar

• 1 g salt

• 33 g all-purpose flour

• About 50 g beaten whole egg

• Pearl sugar, as needed

Instructions

1. Make the Salted Caramel

Heat the heavy cream and honey together in a small saucepan. Keep the mixture hot while you prepare the caramel.

Place about one-third of the sugar in a clean, dry saucepan over medium heat and allow it to melt.

Avoid stirring the sugar with a spoon. If necessary, gently swirl the pan to help it melt evenly.

Add the remaining sugar gradually in 2–3 additions, allowing each addition to begin melting before adding more.

Cook until the caramel reaches a beautiful amber color. Avoid taking it too dark, as it can quickly become bitter.

Reduce the heat slightly and carefully add the salted butter in several additions. The caramel will bubble, so add it gradually.

Stir until the butter is fully incorporated, then cook for about 1 minute.

Slowly pour in the hot cream and honey mixture, stirring continuously. Add it gradually, as the caramel will bubble vigorously.

Cook for another 1 minute, stirring until the caramel is completely smooth and glossy.

Remove from the heat and transfer to a tall container.

Blend with an immersion blender, keeping the blade submerged to avoid incorporating air. The caramel should look smooth, glossy, and emulsified.

Don't worry if the caramel seems quite fluid while warm — this is normal. It will thicken considerably as it cools.

Transfer to a container, cover directly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3–4 hours, or until thick and creamy enough to pipe.

2. Make the Vanilla Pastry Cream

Combine the gelatin with the 20 g cold water and let it bloom for about 10 minutes.

Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds.

Place the milk, vanilla seeds, and vanilla bean in a saucepan. Heat gently until the milk just begins to simmer, then remove from the heat.

For a stronger vanilla flavor, cover and let infuse for 10–15 minutes.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar.

Add the cornstarch and whisk until smooth.

Remove the vanilla bean from the milk.

Slowly pour about one-third of the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture while whisking continuously.

Pour everything back into the saucepan with the remaining milk.

Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly.

Once the pastry cream comes to a boil and thickens, continue cooking for approximately 1 minute, whisking continuously.

The pastry cream should be thick, smooth, and glossy, and the whisk should leave visible trails through the cream.

Remove from the heat.

Immediately add the bloomed gelatin and mix until completely dissolved.

Add the butter and whisk until smooth.

Transfer the pastry cream to a shallow dish and cover directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming.

Allow to cool, then refrigerate until cold.

Before making the diplomat cream, the pastry cream should be completely chilled but still soft enough to whisk until smooth.

3. Finish the Vanilla Diplomat Cream

Transfer the cold pastry cream to a mixing bowl and whisk briefly until completely smooth and creamy.

Whip the 150 g cold heavy cream until it reaches soft-to-medium peaks.

You are looking for a texture similar to soft shaving cream: the cream should hold its shape but remain smooth and supple. Avoid whipping it until stiff or grainy.

Add about one-third of the whipped cream to the pastry cream and whisk gently to loosen it.

Using a rubber spatula, carefully fold in the remaining whipped cream.

Fold from the bottom of the bowl upward to preserve as much air as possible.

The finished diplomat cream should be smooth, light, airy, and stable enough to hold its shape when piped.

Transfer to a piping bag and refrigerate until needed.

4. Make the Choux Pastry

Place the water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt in a saucepan.

Heat over medium heat until the mixture reaches its first boil. Make sure the butter is completely melted.

As soon as it boils, remove the saucepan from the heat.

Do not allow the mixture to boil for too long. Excessive evaporation will change the ratio of liquid in the recipe and can result in dry choux pastry that does not rise properly.

Add all the flour at once.

Immediately whisk vigorously to prevent lumps from forming, then switch to a spatula once the dough comes together.

5. Dry the Panade

Return the saucepan to medium heat.

Stir the dough continuously with a spatula for about 1–2 minutes.

The panade is ready when it:

• Forms a smooth ball

• Pulls cleanly away from the sides of the pan

• Leaves a thin film on the bottom of the saucepan

Transfer the panade to a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

Mix briefly to release excess steam.

The dough should still be warm, but it should no longer be releasing a large amount of steam before you begin adding the egg.

6. Add the Egg

Beat one whole egg and weigh approximately 50 g.

Add the beaten egg gradually, mixing thoroughly between each addition.

Do not automatically add all 50 g. The exact amount needed will depend on how much moisture evaporated while drying the panade.

Check the consistency before adding the final amount of egg.

The finished choux pastry should be smooth, glossy, and supple.

When you lift the spatula, the dough should fall slowly in a thick ribbon and leave a soft V-shaped tip hanging from the spatula.

If the dough is still too stiff, add a few more grams of beaten egg.

Once you reach the correct consistency, stop adding egg even if you have some left.

7. Pipe the Chouquettes

Transfer the choux pastry to a piping bag fitted with an 8–10 mm round piping tip.

Pipe small, even mounds approximately 1¼ inches (3 cm) in diameter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Leave enough space between each one to allow the choux to expand.

If the piping leaves a small point on top, gently flatten it with a slightly damp fingertip.

Generously sprinkle each choux with pearl sugar.

8. Bake

Preheat the convection oven to 265°F (130°C).

Bake the chouquettes at:

265°F (130°C) convection – 30 minutes

Then, without removing them from the oven, increase the temperature to:

300°F (150°C) convection – about 15 minutes

This second stage allows the choux to continue drying while developing a beautiful golden color.

The chouquettes are ready when they are well risen, evenly golden, and feel light, with a shell firm enough to hold its shape.

Do not open the oven door during the first 30 minutes, as the sudden drop in temperature can cause the choux to collapse.

If they still look pale or feel slightly moist after the final 15 minutes, continue baking for a few additional minutes.

Transfer to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely before filling.

9. Fill the Chouquettes

Transfer the chilled diplomat cream and salted caramel to two separate piping bags.

Using a small piping tip, carefully make a hole in the bottom of each chouquette.

Start by piping some vanilla diplomat cream inside.

Pipe a small amount of salted caramel into the center.

Finish with a little more diplomat cream if necessary.

The filled choux should feel noticeably heavier when you pick them up, but the filling should not spill out through the opening.

Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

For an optional finishing touch, dust very lightly with powdered sugar just before serving.

Mathilde's Tips

1. Don't rely only on the weight of the egg.
The exact amount needed depends on how much moisture evaporates while drying the panade. Add the egg gradually and use the V-shape test to determine when the dough is ready.

2. Remove the liquid from the heat at the first boil.
Allowing it to boil for too long causes excess evaporation and changes the balance of the choux pastry.

3. Don't open the oven too early.
With this gentle baking method at 265°F (130°C), the choux need time to develop their structure before the temperature is increased.

4. Keep the heavy cream very cold.
Cold cream whips more easily and helps create a light diplomat cream with enough structure for piping.

5. Don't take the caramel too dark.
Stop when you reach a beautiful amber color. A very dark caramel can quickly become bitter.

6. Give the caramel enough time to chill.
When warm, this caramel has the consistency of a sauce. After several hours in the refrigerator, it becomes thick, creamy, and perfect for piping into the choux.

Storage

Unfilled Chouquettes

Chouquettes are at their best on the day they are baked. Keep them at room temperature in a dry place for a few hours.

The unfilled chouquettes freeze very well.

Once completely cool, transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 1 month.

To refresh them, place the frozen chouquettes directly into a 300°F (150°C) oven for about 5–8 minutes.

Allow them to cool completely before filling.

Filled Chouquettes

Once filled with diplomat cream, the chouquettes must be kept refrigerated in an airtight container.

For the best contrast between the choux pastry and creamy filling, enjoy them the same day they are assembled or within 24 hours.

Remove them from the refrigerator about 10–15 minutes before serving so the cream and salted caramel can soften slightly.