Best Chocolate Filled Cream Puffs Recipes

CHOCOLATE-FILLED CREAM PUFFS

Steps:

• In a saucepan over medium heat, bring water and butter to a boil. Add flour and salt all at once; stir until a smooth ball forms. Remove from the heat; let stand 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Beat until smooth. , Cover a baking sheet with foil; grease foil. Drop batter into six mounds onto foil. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°; bake 30 minutes longer. Remove puffs to a wire rack. Immediately cut a slit in each for steam to escape. , In a bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar and cocoa, beating until almost stiff. Split puffs and remove soft dough. Add filling; replace tops. Melt chocolate and butter; stir in sugar and water. Drizzle over puffs. Chill.

COFFEE-FILLED CREAM PUFFS WITH CHOCOLATE GLAZE

Steps:

• Prepare the pastry cream: Whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan. Whisk together milk, espresso, and egg yolks in a glass measuring cup. Add milk mixture to saucepan, along with butter. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Let boil 1 minute. Remove from heat and add vanilla.
• Strain pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
• Prepare the puffs: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine butter, sugar, salt, and water. Bring to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Using a wooden spoon, quickly stir in the flour until combined.
• Return pan to medium-high heat and cook, stirring vigorously, until mixture pulls away from the sides and a film forms on the bottom of the pan, about 3 minutes.
• Remove from heat and add eggs, one at a time, stirring vigorously after each addition, and waiting to add the next egg until the previous one is entirely incorporated.
• Transfer dough to a pastry bag fitted with a 3/4-inch plain round tip (#809). On two parchment-lined baking sheets, pipe sixteen 2-inch rounds. Gently smooth the pointed peaks with a moistened finger, rounding tops to ensure even rising. Bake, rotating halfway, until puffed and deep golden-brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a rack. Using a paring knife, make a small "X" in the bottom of each puff. Let cool completely.
• Whisk the pastry cream until smooth and transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch filling pastry tip (#230). Fill each puff with some of the pastry cream.
• Make the glaze: Place the chocolate in a medium bowl. Bring the cream to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate; let stand 1 minute. Whisk until smooth. Dip the top of each cream puff in the chocolate and let stand at room temperature to set, about 20 minutes.

CHOCOLATE-FILLED CREAM PUFFS WITH HOT FUDGE SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring water and butter to a boil. Add flour all at once and stir until a smooth ball forms. Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until mixture is smooth and shiny. , Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 3 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks. Immediately split puffs open; remove tops and set aside. Discard soft dough from inside. Cool puffs. , For filling, in a large heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt. Stir in milk until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat to low; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. , Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Gently stir in butter and vanilla. Cover with waxed paper or plastic wrap. Cool for 15 minutes, without stirring. , To serve, spoon chocolate cream filling into cream puffs; replace tops. Top with warmed hot fudge sauce and citrus sugar, white chocolate shavings or confectioners' sugar if desired. Freeze option: Freeze cream puffs in airtight containers for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for 10 minutes. Place cream puffs on a baking sheet. Bake at 375° for 3-4 minutes or until crisp.