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The Spruce / Ana Zelic
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
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491 | Calories |
18g | Fat |
73g | Carbs |
11g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 4 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 491 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 18g | 23% |
Saturated Fat 10g | 48% |
Cholesterol 255mg | 85% |
Sodium 189mg | 8% |
Total Carbohydrate 73g | 27% |
Dietary Fiber 1g | 2% |
Total Sugars 57g | |
Protein 11g | |
Vitamin C 0mg | 0% |
Calcium 116mg | 9% |
Iron 2mg | 11% |
Potassium 186mg | 4% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
Shu cream is a Japanese dessert inspired by the famous French "choux cream." Although these decadent puffs are French in origin, they have become a Japanese culinary staple that kids of many generations have grown up eating. They are available everywhere from high-end patisseries to vending machines.
When small individual choux pastry puffs are baked, the interior becomes light and airy, and the exterior turns crisp and golden. The puff is then filled with a sweet custard filling. Before serving, the shu cream is gently dusted with confectioners' sugar.
While the traditional shu cream has a plain puff pastry and classic yellow custard cream filling, another popular version of shu cream involves covering the shell with a generous layer of dark chocolate. Other modern versions of the pastry use flavored custard cream fillings such as chocolate, green tea or matcha, strawberry or blueberry cream, or even coffee or peanut butter. Although the possibilities for flavored creams are endless, the favorite shu cream is still the classic custard cream filling.
This recipe makes eight puffs, but it's likely that your guests will be asking for more. If you'd like, you can double the recipe and recruit the family for help, as these puffs are as fun to make as they are easy to eat. You can fill them a day in advance of serving.
Ingredients
For the Choux Pastry:
For the Custard Cream:
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2 large egg yolks
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1/2 cup sugar
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2 tablespoons flour, sifted
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1 cup milk, warmed
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1 tablespoon butter, melted
For Dusting:
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1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
Steps to Make It
Make the Pastry
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Gather the ingredients.
The Spruce / Ana Zelic
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Heat the oven to 375 F. Prepare a baking sheet by layering a piece of parchment paper or a silicone sheet.
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Beat the eggs in a small bowl and set aside.
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Place the butter, sugar, and water in a pan and bring to a boil over medium heat.
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Add the flour to the pan and incorporate into the butter mixture by stirring very quickly. Turn off the heat and remove the pan from the stove.
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Add the beaten eggs slowly into the pan with the dough mixture, stirring well with a wooden spoon. Mix well to avoid lumps in the dough—it should be smooth and even, firm but pliable.
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Fill a piping bag—or sturdy zip-close bag with a snipped corner—with the dough.
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Gently squeeze out 8 small mounds of dough onto the baking sheet. With wet hands, even out the surface of each little ball.
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Bake the puff pastry for 30 minutes. Allow the puffs to cool on a cooling rack.
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Cut the puffs in half horizontally. Reserve.
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Make the Custard
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In a medium-sized pan, mix the egg yolks and sugar, stirring well.
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Add the flour into the pan and mix well.
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Gradually add the warm milk into the egg mixture, stirring constantly.
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Place the pan on low heat and stir the mixture constantly until it has thickened, or about 5 to 7 minutes.
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Remove from heat and add the melted butter, mixing well.
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Let the cream cool off, covered in plastic wrap.
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Assemble the Shu Cream
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Fill the bottom halves of puffs with a dollop of custard cream and cover with the top halves.
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Dust the finished cream puffs with confectioners' sugar.
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Variation
For a flavorful take on the classic custard, use matcha powder.
- Dissolve 1 teaspoon of matcha green tea powder in 2 teaspoons of water.
- Add 2 to 3 spoonfuls of the already prepared custard cream into the green tea mixture and stir well.
- Add the green tea cream into the rest of the custard cream. Mix well until fully incorporated, and use to fill your puffs.
How to Store and Freeze Japanese Shu Cream
You can make the puffs up to a day in advance. Store them unfilled in an airtight container at room temperature. Any leftover filled puffs can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.
You can also freeze any unfilled puffs. Put them on a baking tray lined with waxed paper in the freezer until they freeze and then transfer to a zip-close bag for up to two months.