Praline Cream Puffs

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Heavy-bottomed saucepan for praline
• •Medium saucepan for choux and pastry cream
• •Stand mixer with paddle attachment (or strong arm and wooden spoon)
• •Two rimmed baking sheets
• •Piping bags with round tips (large for piping choux, small for filling)
• •Wire cooling rack
• •Fine-mesh strainer for dusting

Instructions

1. 1

   Toast the pecans

   Spread pecan halves on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in a 350F oven for eight to ten minutes, stirring halfway through. You'll smell them before you see the color change. That toasty, buttery aroma filling your kitchen means they're ready. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool completely.

   Watch these like a hawk. Pecans go from perfectly toasted to burnt in about ninety seconds. Your nose knows before your eyes do.
2. 2

   Make the praline

   Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat. Combine half a cup of sugar with two tablespoons of water and a pinch of salt in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan. Set over medium heat and swirl the pan gently to dissolve the sugar. Do not stir once it starts bubbling. The sugar will go from clear to pale gold to amber. When it reaches a deep golden color and smells like caramel, immediately add the toasted pecans and stir quickly to coat.

   Caramel moves fast at the end. Have your pecans right next to the stove, ready to go. Hesitation means burnt sugar.
3. 3

   Cool and crush praline

   Pour the caramelized pecans onto your prepared baking sheet and spread them quickly with a heatproof spatula. The mixture will be dangerously hot, so work fast but careful. Let cool completely, about thirty minutes, until the praline is hard and brittle. Once cool, chop three-quarters of it into small pea-sized pieces for the pastry cream. Crush the remaining quarter into fine crumbs for garnish.

4. 4

   Begin the pastry cream

   Pour the milk into a medium saucepan and heat over medium until small bubbles form around the edges. Don't let it boil. While the milk heats, whisk together the half cup of sugar, cornstarch, and quarter teaspoon of salt in a bowl. Add the egg yolks and whisk vigorously until the mixture turns pale yellow and thick enough to ribbon off the whisk, about two minutes of solid whisking.

5. 5

   Temper and cook the cream

   When the milk is steaming, pour about half of it slowly into the egg mixture while whisking constantly. This tempers the eggs so they don't scramble. Pour everything back into the saucepan and set over medium heat. Now you stir. Constantly. Use a whisk and move it all around the bottom and sides of the pan. The cream will thicken suddenly after about three to four minutes. Keep cooking and stirring for one more minute after it thickens. It should coat a spoon heavily.

   If you see lumps forming, drop the heat immediately and whisk harder. You can push the cream through a fine strainer if things get desperate, but constant stirring prevents this.
6. 6

   Finish and chill pastry cream

   Remove from heat and whisk in the three tablespoons of butter one piece at a time until completely melted and glossy. Stir in the vanilla. Fold in the chopped praline pieces. Transfer to a bowl and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least two hours, or overnight. The cream must be completely cold before filling.

   The pastry cream can be made up to three days ahead. It actually improves as the praline flavor mingles throughout.
7. 7

   Prepare for choux

   Preheat your oven to 425F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Measure out your flour into a bowl and have it ready. Crack your eggs into a measuring cup or bowl with a pour spout. Everything happens fast once you start, so mise en place is essential here.

8. 8

   Make the choux paste

   Combine the cup of water, the half cup of butter cut into pieces, one tablespoon of sugar, and half teaspoon of salt in a medium saucepan. Set over medium-high heat and stir occasionally until the butter melts completely. Bring to a rolling boil. The moment it boils, dump in all the flour at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon. The dough will come together quickly and pull away from the sides of the pan, forming a smooth ball. Keep stirring over the heat for another minute to cook out the raw flour taste. The dough should look slightly glossy and leave a thin film on the bottom of the pan.

   The flour goes in all at once, not gradually. This creates the steam pockets that make choux puff. Timid flour additions make flat pastry.
9. 9

   Add the eggs

   Transfer the hot dough to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or use a bowl and strong arm. Let it cool for two minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. After the first egg, the dough will look like a broken mess. Keep beating. It comes back together, I promise. After all four eggs, you'll have a smooth, glossy paste that falls off the paddle in a thick ribbon and holds a peak when you lift the beater.

   Room temperature eggs incorporate better. If yours are cold, set them in warm water for five minutes before cracking.
10. 10

    Pipe the puffs

    Transfer the choux paste to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip, or a zip-top bag with one corner snipped off. Pipe mounds about one and a half inches in diameter onto your prepared baking sheets, leaving two inches between each puff. Wet your fingertip and gently tap down any peaks on top. These peaks would burn before the rest of the puff finishes baking.

11. 11

    Bake until golden

    Place both sheets in the oven and immediately reduce temperature to 375F. Bake for twenty-five to thirty minutes until the puffs are deeply golden brown and feel light when lifted. Do not open the oven door for the first twenty minutes. The steam inside needs to stay trapped to create that hollow interior. The puffs should sound slightly hollow when tapped on the bottom.

    If the puffs aren't deep golden, they're not done. Pale puffs will collapse once they cool because the structure hasn't set. Let them get color.
12. 12

    Cool the puffs

    Turn off the oven, crack the door open, and let the puffs sit inside for ten minutes. This gradual temperature change prevents them from deflating. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. They must be room temperature before filling, or the pastry cream will weep.

13. 13

    Fill the cream puffs

    Stir the chilled pastry cream to loosen it, then transfer to a piping bag fitted with a small round or star tip. Poke a hole in the bottom of each puff using the piping tip or a small knife. Insert the tip and squeeze gently until you feel the puff grow heavier in your hand. You want them generously filled but not bursting. About two tablespoons of cream per puff.

14. 14

    Dust and serve

    Arrange the filled cream puffs on a serving platter. Dust generously with powdered sugar through a fine-mesh strainer, then sprinkle the reserved crushed praline over the top. Serve within a few hours for the best texture, though they'll keep refrigerated overnight if necessary. Let them sit at room temperature for fifteen minutes before serving if chilled.

Chef Tips

• •Louisiana pecans are worth seeking out. They're smaller and sweeter than the big commercial varieties, with a buttery richness that tastes like home to me. Check farmers markets or order from Louisiana pecan farms online.
• •Make your praline and pastry cream a day ahead. This spreads out the work and actually improves the pastry cream as the praline flavor infuses throughout. The choux should be made and baked the same day you plan to serve.
• •Unfilled choux puffs can be frozen for up to a month. Crisp them in a 350F oven for five minutes before filling. This means you can do the hardest work weeks in advance.
• •If your pastry cream seems too thick after chilling, whisk in a tablespoon or two of cold heavy cream to loosen it for piping. It should flow smoothly but still hold its shape.

Advance Preparation

• •The praline can be made up to two weeks ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Humidity makes it sticky, so a dry spot is essential.
• •The pastry cream can be made three days ahead and refrigerated. The flavor improves as it rests.
• •Unfilled baked puffs keep in an airtight container at room temperature for one day, or frozen for one month. Crisp in a 350F oven before filling.
• •Once filled, cream puffs are best served within four hours. They can be refrigerated overnight but will soften. Let them come to room temperature before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 55g)