She Strengthens

Summer Strawberry Cream Puffs: A Refreshing Treat

Are you looking for a sweet and elegant dessert to impress your guests this summer? Look no further! These light and airy pastry puffs filled with a delicious strawberry mousse are the perfect treat for any occasion.

The Magic of Pâte à Choux Dough

Pâte à choux dough is a versatile pastry dough that can be used to create a variety of sweet and savory pastries. In the summer, it’s the perfect vehicle for fresh strawberries, which add natural sweetness and flavor to the pastry.

Strawberry Mousse Filling

To make the strawberry mousse, cook fresh strawberries with sugar and lemon juice until they’re soft and syrupy. Strain the mixture to remove the seeds and pulp, then mix it with gelatin and whipped cream. The result is a light and airy mousse that’s perfect for piping into pastry puffs.

Tips for Making Perfect Pastry Puffs

To make perfect pastry puffs, it’s essential to cook the dough correctly. Heat the butter, milk, water, sugar, and salt in a saucepan until the butter has melted and the liquid has come to a boil. Then, reduce the heat and add the flour, stirring vigorously until the dough is smooth and shiny. Let it cool before beating in the eggs, then pipe the dough onto a baking sheet and bake until golden brown.

Freezing and Baking Pastry Puffs

One of the best things about pastry puffs is that they can be frozen for up to 2 months. Simply pipe the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, freeze until solid, and transfer to a resealable bag. When you’re ready to bake, simply place the frozen puffs on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown.

Assembling the Cream Puffs

To assemble the cream puffs, simply pipe the strawberry mousse onto the bottom halves of the cooled pastry puffs, then replace the tops and dust with powdered sugar. Serve immediately, and enjoy the oohs and aahs from your guests!

Recipe

Yield: 12 cream puffs
Difficulty: Easy
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes

Ingredients

For the Pastry Puffs:

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup water, plus more as needed
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature

For the Strawberry Mousse:

• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 (1/4-ounce) packet unflavored gelatin
• 8 ounces strawberries, washed, hulled, and cut into large dice
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Powdered sugar, for dusting

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set it aside.
2. Heat the butter, milk, measured water, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until the butter has melted and the liquid has come to a boil.
3. Reduce the heat to low, add the flour all at once, and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until well incorporated.
4. Cook, stirring constantly, until the dough looks shiny and feels smooth to the touch, and a thin film has formed on the bottom of the pan, about 5 minutes.
5. Transfer the dough to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and let it cool for 5 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, fill a small bowl with water and set it aside.
7. With the mixer on medium-low speed, beat in the eggs 1 at a time, letting each egg completely incorporate before adding the next, until the mixture is smooth, sticky, and glossy, about 4 to 5 minutes total.
8. Transfer the dough to a large resealable bag and cut off about 3/4 inch from one corner of the bag.
9. Pipe 12 (2-inch-wide) round mounds onto the prepared baking sheet, making sure they’re about 1 1/2 inches apart.
10. Dip your finger in the bowl of water and smooth the top of each mound.
11. Place the baking sheet in the oven, reduce the temperature to 350°F, and bake until the puffs are golden brown, airy, and completely dry inside, about 45 to 50 minutes (do not open the oven door until at least 45 minutes has passed).
12. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and let the puffs cool completely.
13. Meanwhile, make the strawberry mousse.
14. Place the water in a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the surface, and stir to combine; set aside.
15. Combine the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan and stir to coat the berries in the sugar.
16. Mash the berries with a potato masher to release their juices, then bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
17. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the berries are falling apart and the juices have thickened slightly, about 10 minutes.
18. Meanwhile, set a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl.
19. Pour the strawberry mixture into the strainer. Using a rubber spatula, push on the solids and scrape the underside of the strainer until all of the liquid is extracted; discard the contents of the strainer.
20. Immediately whisk the gelatin mixture into the strawberry liquid until it’s dissolved and smooth.
21. Set aside to cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
22. Meanwhile, place the clean bowl of the stand mixer and the whisk attachment in the freezer.
23. Place the cream in the chilled stand-mixer bowl and whisk on high speed until medium peaks form, about 1 minute.
24. Give the strawberry mixture a quick whisk to smooth it out, add half of the whipped cream, and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined.
25. Add the remaining whipped cream and stir until just combined and no streaks of white remain.
26. Transfer the mixture to a large resealable bag and set it aside.
27. Cut the cooled puffs in half horizontally.
28. Cut off about 3/4 inch from one corner of the strawberry mousse–filled bag and pipe the mousse onto the bottom halves of the puffs (you should not have any mousse left).
29. Replace the tops and dust with powdered sugar.
30. Serve immediately and enjoy!