Gluten-free Cream Puffs – Choux Pastry

Preheat the oven to 200 ºC fan assisted.

Add water and butter to a saucepan and bring to the boil at 110 °C.

When the butter is completely melted, add the flour and stir well with a spoon or hand mixer until the dough becomes firm and releases from the pan.

Allow the dough to cool slightly until it has the same temperature as warm tap water when you touch it, around 60 °C.

Add the eggs one at a time to the batter and beat thoroughly with a hand mixer or by hand with a strong whisk.

The dough is ready when it feels wet and slightly sticky. It should hold its shape reasonably well. If it spreads out too much, it’s too thin and you’ll have to start over as the dough won’t rise properly in the oven.

Arrange the dough in 16 peaks on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, either using two tablespoons or by piping with a piping bag into uniform peaks.

Ensure ample space between each pastry, as they will nearly double in size during baking.

Bake in a preheated oven at 200 ºC fan assisted for 20 minutes. Do not open the oven too early to prevent them from collapsing.

When they are done baking, turn off the oven and open the oven door halfway. Allow the cream puffs to cool inside the oven to minimize the risk of them collapsing.

If you’re baking multiple batches, you can instead remove them from the oven and cut a small hole in the center of each to allow steam to escape. Then let them cool completely.

Make a batch of homemade pastry cream by following this recipe. Allow the pastry cream to cool completely. You can make the pastry cream the day before.

Pour the whipping cream into a large bowl and whip it into soft peaks.

Whisk the cold pastry cream briefly to remove any lumps. Then add the whipped cream and fold it together. The cream is soft and delicious. If you prefer a slightly firmer texture, let it sit in the refrigerator overnight before using it in the cream puffs.

Make your cream puffs even more delicious with homemade raspberry jam. Follow this recipe to make it yourself. If you’re short on time, you can also use store-bought jam in your preferred flavour.

Make sure the pastries have cooled completely before you start filling them with pastry cream and jam.

Cut each pastry in half and use a spoon or piping bag to add the pastry cream and jam. Replace the top of the pastry.

Dust the pastries with icing sugar.

You can also fill the pastries with mousse, whipped cream mixed with vanilla and sugar or ice cream.