Strawberry Filled Cream Puffs

Filled with whipped cream and strawberries, and drizzled with chocolate, these profiteroles or cream puffs are an airy snack or dessert that’s perfect any time of the year!

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When were profiteroles invented?

The origin of the profiterole is attributed to the French Renaissance period, but did you know that it’s the creation of an Italian chef?

When Catherine de Medici married Henry II of France in the early 16th century, she took her own personal chefs and many of the recipes from her homeland in Tuscany with her.

One chef in particular, Panterelli, served in the French royal kitchen for 7 years. He had developed a hot dough called “pâté a Panterelli” that was soon used in a lot of recipes.

The pâté a Panterelli was also used to make the pâté a Popelini, a popular cake during that time. It was even mentioned by the French writer Francois Rabelais in his book Gargantua.

It was in the late 18th century that chef Avice changed the popular pâté a Popelini into a choux type dough that was called the pâte à choux. And finally, in the early 19th century, the chef Antonin Careme filled the choux with cream and turned it into the infamous profiterole, choux à la crème.

Profiteroles or cream puffs have now been around for 5 centuries!

You’ll find profiteroles served plain with a caramel glaze, or topped with a chocolate ganache, or stuffed with cream and strawberry filling, or in many other ways. But the strawberry and cream version is amazing!

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Recipe Pointers For Profiteroles Recipe

• These are the perfect treat to celebrate National Strawberries and Cream day on 21st May!
• When you cut the tops off the profiteroles, try to do it in a 1:2 ratio with the bigger part at the bottom.
• You can use the same recipe to make chocolate-covered or caramel-covered profiteroles.
• If you make bigger puffs, increase the bake time.
• Ensure the dough cools down before you add in the eggs.
• You can use the same dough to make eclairs!
• Allow the choux pastry to cool down completely before piping the cream filling in it!

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FAQs about Strawberry & Cream Puffs

What is the difference between the cream puffs and the profiteroles?

Cream puffs and profiteroles are both the same dessert, chou à la crème. The only difference is that they’re called profiteroles in some countries and cream puffs in USA.

Can I serve these cream puffs for breakfast?

Yes, these creams puffs can be part of a decadent breakfast platter. They are also perfect for snacks, dinner parties, baby showers, weddings, and almost every other occasion.

Do I have to keep the eggs out before use?

Yes, you need to make sure that the eggs and all the other ingredients for the cream puffs are at room temperature before use.

Why did the cream puffs not puff?

If the cream puffs didn’t puff, there can be a number of reasons.
– Either there’s too much water in the dough
– Or the eggs were too large
– Or the dough wasn’t cooked enough

What can I use instead of heavy cream?

You can replace the heavy cream with a 1:1 mixture of yogurt and mascarpone cheese, but remember that mascarpone has a higher fat content than heavy cream.

Will this recipe work with other fruits?

Yes, you can use this same recipe with blueberries, apricot, peaches, passion fruit, kiwis, mangoes or other fruit.

How long can I store the profiteroles?

If you have just baked and cooled the profiteroles, you can store them in an air-tight container for up to a week. Once you have added the cream filling, you must finish the cream puffs in 1 to 2 days max.