Petite Choux a la Chantilly

French-cream-puffFrench-puff-chocolate


                        Coffee-eclair


French pastries. Delicate beauty queens. Rich, sweet, world renown… pure goodness. My favorites are the Choux French pastries: Profiteroles, chocolat et cafe eclairs, petite choux a la chantilly, religieuse…. my mouth waters just thinking of them.  


It occurred to me yesterday as we sat around my friend’s pool sharing lunch, that petite choux a la chantilly (Cream Puffs) are a comfort food of mine. My Mother makes them for every holiday, and often for no reason at alI. Comfort food… a food from childhood where each bite nourishes a sweet memory. Ah golden cream puffs of childhood, and of yesterday too… now I know why those French beauty queens spark my heart.


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My mother’s delicious golden cream puffs, filled with homemade whipped cream and then sprinkled with powdered sugar. Pure bliss.


                                                      IMG-cream


My Mother’s Cream Puffs


1/2 c. butter
1 c. boiling water
1 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
4 large farm eggs


Melt the butter with the water in small saucepan. Stir over high heat until rapidly boiling. Add flour and salt all at once. Remove the saucepan a few inches from the heat. Stir quickly. The puff batter will come away from sides of the pan forming a ball.

Cook and stir another 30 seconds more. Remove from heat. Then crack 1 egg into the puff batter, beat until smooth and fluffy. Repeat the same process with the remaining eggs.

Drop a large tablespoon of batter onto ungreased cookie sheet 3 inches apart. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Turn down heat to 350 degrees and bake an additional 15 minutes. Let them sit in the oven until cooled off.


Cut off the tops, fill the inside with whip cream, put the top back on, sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.



Comments

36 responses to “Petite Choux a la Chantilly”

  1. My mother always baked slices ‘just in case someone drops by’ and she still does. They were always so delicious and makes me think of her wonderful gift of hospitality. I think of her whenever I eat a delicious home made slice.
    It’s so lovely to have those comforting memories of childhood and our mothers.
    Your mother’s pastries look mouth watering and delicious! I can almost taste them, or perhaps that’s just wishful thinking.

  2. Petit choux! We liked them so much we even named one of our kittens after them. Ours were filled with a delicate French vanilla pudding (my mother never made anything from a box, even pudding) and the tops were drizzled with a thick stream of chocolate poured from a pan with a little spout…

  3. Sweets for the sweet.
    I love you
    Thanks for the recipe.
    Love Jeanne

  4. Julie Ann

    These look delish, thank you for the recipe. Your new banner bust is definitely Elvis ! Jx

  5. Oh, Corey! Your mom’s cream puffs are a thing of beauty and surely taste heavenly. I’m drooling like Pavlov’s dog. Thanks so much for sharing the recipe. You bet I’m going to make these the next time I have friends over.

  6. I haven’t made these in many years……..however your mom’s recipe and the photos of her baked beauties have stirred my heart. I’m off to the farmers’ market nearby where they are holding my weekly order of fresh eggs – maybe I’ll use them to make some for dh’s Birthday today!!!

  7. YUMMERS! I LOVE these heavenly goodness too. Can’t beat fresh made whipped cream, either. ((hugs))

  8. becky up the hill

    Oh Corey..they are beautiful! My Mama made them too and so did I! They too are my favorite dessert. It just doesn’t get better. I love the way the dough smells when it comes together..there is nothing like it!

  9. Oh. My. God. Those look delicious. I haven’t had a cream puff in … I can’t remember.

  10. Oh my goodness…those look scrumptious!

  11. Oh yes, my Mom made them, too- and sometimes dribbled a little Hersey’s syrup over the top. Only in North Dakota, we didn’t call them petite choux a la chantilly! 🙂

  12. Massilianana

    Oh this made me long for home ( D-day -4 , yay !) ! My favorite pastry is Saint-Honoré…your mum’s puffs could proudly compete with any French ones , they look perfect and I am sure taste heavenly ! Thanks for the recipe !

  13. Tia Muminguz

    I’ve made these and that dough is WHACK. The stickiest, gloppiest, heaviest connoction of flour and water ever. And it turns into a dream puff .. c’est magique!

  14. I just don’t think people realize how easy they are to make.
    We can get honest-to-goodness real French pastries here in the middle of nowhere Illinois. There’s a group of French nuns who live nearby and they bake up goodies and sell them at the antique flea market held at the country fairgrounds once a month!
    Hey – this is flea market weekend. I’m going to go visit the French nuns!
    – Suzanne, the Farmer’s Wife

  15. martina

    Your Mom’s cream puffs look much nicer than the ones I remember my Mom making. Howeve there was always leftover “cream” filling to put on graham crackers for the chef and her assistant. When Dad got home from work the cream puffs disappeared pretty fast-he loved cream puffs and eclairs. Please post more of your Mom’s fabulous recipes!

  16. Oh, yippee! I’m not a cook, but I sure do love to bake. Can’t wait to try these.

  17. These look delicious! Thanks for sharing your Mom’s recipe. These are one of my favourite treats and it’s so hard to get good ones (by that I mean they aren’t filled with fake cream! … yuck!) I’ve never tried making them before but now I can!
    xo,
    Lynda

  18. I think I just gained a couple of pounds! Can I come over? Thanks for the recipe. Beautiful pictures Corey.

  19. I love cream puffs with my daily tea. I am not real good at making them…sigh…but I think I will give your mom’s a try…oh yummy. Thanks for sharing so much with us
    love and blessings

  20. Mmmm. They make my mouth water just seeing the pictures.
    My summer childhood memories are of homemade jams and jellies warm off the stove on salty crackers.

  21. Oh good heavenly days, I am in heaven! 🙂 cream puffs are my favorite and I try very hard to perfect them, only to fail; so thank you for the recipe, I will give this a try. Mouth watering!!
    Teresa
    xo

  22. Yummy! This is probably a very silly question, but is it plain flour? Not cake flour or self-rising or anything? Can’t wait to make them!!!

  23. Wow those made my mouth water. There are no pastries like the ones found in France…sigh… I need to go back there soon!
    Those are great pics!
    Thanks for sharing the recipe don’t know that I’ll be brave enough to try it!

  24. I’m on a diet and wouldn’t dare, but the pictures are heavenly. They’re almost as good as tasting the beautiful pastry. I will be content with that. Thank you Corey.

  25. That makes me hungry!

  26. Cream puffs are my favorite Corey!!
    I have not tried to make them, but now I will. Thanks for the recipe!
    Rosemary

  27. Oh God, I’m salivating. My mom & I used to make home made cream puffs with real whipped cream when I was a child. YUM!!

  28. Okay, now you’re just being cruel 😉 Thanks for sharing.

  29. French desserts, my true weakness. Mmmm. Profiteroles *drool*

  30. This recipe looks so easy. I always thought cream puffs were so hard to make. I bookmarked it and will try this some day! Thanks for sharing your mom’s recipe.

  31. Cynthia G

    Are you suuuree……
    that Eclair and Petit Choux
    Didn’t come from the Patisserie on rue De La
    Roquette??????
    Yann, Chelsea and Mr. Espresso could have smuggled the contraband in……
    **************
    I hope you and your family had a ******GREAT “4th”********

  32. I used to make Cream Puff’s too, with a custard and whipped cream filling. What a treat!
    Your photos are very inticing.

  33. My eldest daughter used to make wonderful cream puffs. I should drop a hint, next time I talk to her.
    Your mother’s cream puffs look so good, Corey! Definitely making me hungry!
    We’ve been away and will be leaving again, tomorrow, for a few days. I’ve tried catching up with everyone today.
    Hope you have a very good week.
    Pat

  34. Your blog is beautiful. I have visited before but wanted to leave you a comment to let you know how lovely it is to visit!

  35. They look beautifully delicious.
    I think the secret ingredient in comfort food is all the love that is sprinkled over it. These look as though they are filled with your mom’s love!

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