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Italian Cream Puffs Recipe (Bignè)
Find more recipes at marcellinaincucina.com
These light and airy Italian Cream Puffs are baked using choux pastry and then filled with a
lemon pastry cream.
Prep Time
15
minutes
mins
Cook Time
50
minutes
mins
Time to prepare and make Pastry Cream
25
minutes
mins
Total Time
1
hour
hr
30
minutes
mins
Servings:
24
puffs
Author:
Marcellina
Ingredients
Choux Pastry Puffs
1
cup
(
240ml
) water
3
ounces
(
¾ stick/85grams
) unsalted butter
pinch salt
1
cup
(
125
grams) all purpose (plain) flour
4
eggs
(at room temperature)
Filling for Puffs
2
quantities pastry cream
2
teaspoons
limoncello
(or other liqueur of your choice)
To serve Cream Puffs
powdered sugar for dusting
((icing sugar))
Instructions
Choux Pastry Puffs
Preheat oven 430°F/220ºC. Line two large baking sheets with non-stick parchment paper.
Sift flour into bowl.
Place water, butter and salt into saucepan over low heat until butter is melted. Raise heat and bring to a boil. It is important that the water boils.
While the water is boiling add the flour all at once and stir well over the heat until the mixture comes away from the sides of the saucepan.
Remove from heat and scrape the mixture into bowl of an electric stand mixer. Allow to cool for a few minutes.
Start the mixer and allow the steam to escape from the mixture for a minute or two.
Add eggs one at a time, mixing until incorporated before adding the next egg. Mixture should be smooth, shiny and thick.
Place a large well heaped teaspoonful of choux paste onto lined baking trays using two spoons – one to scoop and one to push paste off onto the tray.
Bake for 10 minutes then turn oven down to 350°F/180ºC and bake for a further 40 minutes.
Cool in the oven with the door held ajar with a wooden spoon.
When cool, store in airtight container for 1 or 2 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Filling
Stir pastry cream and limoncello together.
To assemble
EITHER split puffs in half and either spoon or pipe filling into base heaping up to fill the top when it is replaced.
OR make a small hole in the side of a puff then using a piping bag with small tip attached, fill puffs until they feel heavy.
To serve Cream Puffs
Sieve powdered sugar over Italian Cream Puffs (bignè) serve immediately or refrigerate for an hour or two before serving.
Notes
Tips for Success
Salted butter can be used. Just omit the salt.
Use margarine instead of butter.
For a softer and richer pastry, substitute milk for the water.
If pressed for time, fill the puffs with instant vanilla pudding instead of pastry cream
Use this
sweet ricotta filling
to fill the puffs.
Stored unfilled puffs
in airtight container for 1 or 2 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Italian pastry cream keeps for 5 days in the fridge.
Nutrition
Serving:
1
g
|
Calories:
61
kcal
|
Carbohydrates:
5
g
|
Protein:
2
g
|
Fat:
4
g
|
Saturated Fat:
2
g
|
Cholesterol:
40
mg
|
Sodium:
14
mg
|
Potassium:
19
mg
|
Fiber:
1
g
|
Sugar:
1
g
|
Vitamin A:
141
IU
|
Calcium:
9
mg
|
Iron:
1
mg