These Italian cream puffs are the perfect blend of golden, flaky pastry and silky custard. Puff pastry rounds bake up light and crisp, then are filled with a smooth custard made from milk, egg yolks, and vanilla. A light dusting of powdered sugar adds the finishing touch, capturing the essence of classic Italian pastries—simple, elegant, and utterly irresistible.
Perfect for special occasions or as a refined dessert to impress guests, each bite balances buttery pastry with sweet, creamy filling in a way that never goes out of style.
Italian Cream Puffs
Puff Pastry:
- Puff pastry sheet, thawed – 1
- Powdered sugar – for dusting
Custard Filling:
- Whole milk – 2 cups
- Granulated sugar – ½ cup
- Cornstarch – ¼ cup
- Pinch of salt
- Egg yolks – 4 large
- Vanilla extract – 2 tsp
- Unsalted butter – 2 tbsp
Instructions:
Step 1: Bake the Pastry
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut puff pastry into circles using a round cutter. Arrange on the sheet and prick lightly with a fork.
- Bake 15–18 minutes, until golden and flaky. Let cool completely.
Step 2: Prepare the Custard
- In a saucepan, whisk together milk, sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until thickened.
- In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks. Slowly add a bit of the hot milk mixture to temper the yolks, then return everything to the saucepan.
- Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and butter.
- Transfer custard to a bowl, cover directly with plastic wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.
Step 3: Assemble the Cream Puffs
- Slice cooled pastry rounds in half horizontally.
- Pipe or spoon custard onto the bottom halves, then top with the remaining halves.
- Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.