Cream Puff Recipe with Bavarian Cream and Honey are delicious easy to make cream cream filled profiteroles that are absolutely delicious when finished off with a drizzle of honey and powdered sugar.
Cream puffs are amazing after-dinner desserts that are incredibly easy to make as well not being too expensive either. They are single serving, just like authentic beignets, and great to make at home with few ingredients and tools necessary to make them.
What Is Bavarian Cream
If you’ve never heard of Bavarian cream, don’t be alarmed. It definitely sounds much more intimidating than it actually is to make, so before you freak out, don’t it’s super easy to make. The supposed creator of it or more appropriately, Crème Bavaroise, was by Marie-Antoine Carême one of the fathers of modern-day cuisine along with Auguste Escoffier.
Bavarian cream was obviously founded in Bavaria, which is a state in Germany and finally made its way to the states in the late 1800s and it consists of eggs, sugar, gelatin and heavy whipping cream. Thank you to whoever got it here, because dang is it delicious.
Is Pastry Cream The Same Thing
Pastry cream is not the same as Bavarian cream. Pastry cream uses different ingredients such as butter, cornstarch and milk instead of gelatin, heavy cream, and egg yolks. Like Bavarian cream, you can use pastry cream to stuff desserts, cakes, and donuts.
Bavarian cream is much richer and delicious in flavor compared to the pastry cream.
What Is Bavarian Cream Used For
Bavarian cream is often used as a filling for cakes, donuts, and desserts and is occasionally added to the tops of desserts like fresh berries or pies. It is incredibly delicious and can add a lot of body to any dessert.
How to Make It
You have to make the Bavarian cream ahead of time in this recipe because it needs a bit of time to set. You can also superset it by popping it in the freezer, but I don’t recommend doing it.
1. Bavarian Cream starts by making a simple crème anglaise, which in English is custard and a mixture of vanilla beans, egg yolks, heavy cream, and sugar.
2. While the anglaise is being whisked up over heat be sure to sprinkle your gelatin packets over cold water.
4. Pour the gelatin mixture into the hot anglaise and then completely chill it in the refrigerator.
5. To finish off the Bavarian Cream you fold in some whipped cream and make sure to keep it cool while you make the profiteroles. Once cool, transfer the mixture to a piping bag with no tip. You will have some cream leftover and it goes great poured over desserts or stuffed into desserts like donuts. The longer you can keep it in the refrigerator before using them in the cream puffs the better.
What Does It Taste Like
Bavarian cream tastes like rich vanilla custard. This is mainly due to the fact that the base is made with creme anglaise which is essentially a vanilla custard. After it’s set and folded with the whipped cream it becomes very rich and thick.
Making Homemade Cream Puffs
For the cream puffs recipe, I’m not sure there is an easier dessert out there. The dough is more classically known as pate a choux. It’s literally 5 ingredients and takes less than 10 minutes to make. It’s actually the Bavarian Cream that takes all the time in this recipe.
- Pour in the water to a large pot and add in the butter and salt as well. Bring this mixture to a boil.
- Add in the flour and whisk the mixture vigorously with a firm wire whisk until it becomes smooth and forms a dough-like ball.
- Continue to whisk while adding 1 egg at a time until it is completely mixed into the dough.
- Once combined, transfer to a large piping bag and begin to pipe out small amounts of the dough about 2 inches apart from one another on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper.
- Bake the cream puffs in the oven for about 35 to 40 minutes or until they become firm on the outside and soft and tender in the center.
- Using your finger press a hole into the bottom of the cream puffs and pipe as much of the Bavarian cream into the cream puff as possible. Chef Note: If you don’t have a pastry bag you can just use a tablespoon, no problem.
- Serve by sprinkling powdered sugar and drizzling honey over top.
I’m not even kidding when I say I ate 10 immediately. They are small and are like 2 bites so I couldn’t resist. You’ll have a hard time controlling yourself, believe me. You’ll actually have just as hard of time not eating the Bavarian Cream by itself because it’s just so good!
However if you are looking to make these ahead, totally fine to serve these on the cooler side, but honestly when they are warm, they are to absolutely die for!
How To Serve Them
I finished them off with a little drizzle of honey or chocolate sauce, and then some powdered sugar just to tease them up a little bit more. I feel like the combo of honey along with the Bavarian cream and warm profiterole really is a treat.
It’s definitely one of those classic recipes that honestly never gets old if you ask me. It’s so versatile too if you want to switch up the cream filling, it doesn’t always have to be bavarian cream! These really are phenomenal and I think you’d be doing yourself a disservice if you don’t at least try and make them. No, really you would!
Recipe Chef Notes + Tips
Storing the Cream: It will hold in the refrigerator covered for up to 2 days. The cream will separate after that amount of time. The cream freezes well covered for up to 2 months and is delicious if you chose to eat it as ice cream frozen.
Storing the Puffs: The cream puffs will last covered in plastic for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Cream puffs without the Bavarian cream will last up to 5 days covered in the refrigerator. You can freeze the cream puffs covered for up to 2 months but if they are stuffed with the Bavarian cream I recommend eating them frozen. If they are not stuffed with the Bavarian cream, you can thaw them and use them as you wish.
The Best Dessert Recipes
If you love this recipe then you will love these recipes:
- Homemade Puff Pastry Peach Tart
- Old Fashioned Fresh Peach Cobbler
- Ricotta Cheesecake Recipe
- Olive Oil Cake
- Rose Apple Pie
- Key Lime Pie Recipe
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Cream Puffs Recipe with Bavarian Cream and Honey
Ingredients
For the Bavarian Cream:
- 4 cups of heavy whipping cream
- 1 vanilla bean sliced in half longways
- 6 egg yolks
- ½ cup of sugar
- 5 ounces of cold water
- 1/4 ounce of gelatin
For the Profiteroles:
- 4 ounces of unsalted butter
- 1 cup of water
- ½ teaspoon of Kosher salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 eggs
- honey for garnish
- powdered sugar for garnish
Instructions
- Bavarian Cream: Whisk 2 cups of heavy whipping cream in a standing mixer with the whisk attachment on high speed until stiff peaks are formed and then cool.
- In a medium bowl add the cold water and gelatin together and let sit.
- Next, add 2 cups of heavy whipping cream and the vanilla bean to a medium-size pot and scald.
- While the cream is scalding whisk together the egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl until completely combined.
- Once the cream has scalded slowly pour it into the egg yolk and sugar mixture to temper it while whisking.
- Pour the mixture back in the pot and return it to the burner and constantly whisk over medium heat until it becomes thick.
- Next, whisk in the gelatin/water mixture and chill completely. Once it’s chilled, fold in the whipped cream and add it back to the refrigerator to continue to keep cold and then transfer to a piping bag with a circle tip.
- Profiteroles: Preheat the oven to 400°.
- Bring the butter, water, and salt to a boil and then whisk in the flour until it forms a ball. Turn the heat off and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Next, whisk in 1 egg at a time until completely combined and then transfer it to a piping bag, no tip required.
- Pipe 1 tablespoon of dough onto a sheet tray lined with parchment paper until the dough has been used up.
- Bake for 40 minutes and then cool to room temperature.
- Using your finger push the bottom of the profiterole to make an opening and pipe the Bavarian cream right into the profiterole until it begins to slightly come out of the bottom.
- Drizzle some honey and sprinkle on some powdered sugar to the Bavarian Cream Stuffed Profiteroles once they are done. Enjoy!
Notes
- You will have some Bavarian Cream leftover and it goes great poured over desserts or stuffed into desserts like donuts. The longer you can keep the Bavarian cream in the refrigerator before using them in the cream puffs the better.
- If you don’t have a pastry bag to stuff the cream puffs with, you can just use a tablespoon, no problem.
- How to Store the Cream: Bavarian cream will hold in the refrigerator covered for up to 2 days. The cream will separate after that amount of time. Bavarian cream freezes well covered for up to 2 months and is delicious if you chose to eat it like ice cream frozen, but do not thaw it expecting it to resume to a thick delicious cream.
- How to Store the Cream Puffs: The cream puffs will last covered in plastic for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Cream puffs without the Bavarian cream will last up to 5 days covered in the refrigerator. You can freeze the cream puffs covered for up to 2 months but if they are stuffed with the Bavarian cream I recommend eating them frozen. If they are not stuffed with the Bavarian cream, you can thaw them and use them as you wish.
Nutrition
Kim says
Hello! I’m going to make this to fill a cake. Can I make the cream a few days ahead? ( I’d fill the cake the day of)
Chef Billy Parisi says
Maybe just a day or 2 ahead of time. Good luck!
Susan says
Step 7 is a little confusing. Do you mean to mix in the gelatin mixture to the cream?
Chef Billy Parisi says
Yes, mix the gelatin/water mixture into the scaled cream pot and mix until combined and then chill. Sorry if it was confusing.
Mercedes Wittrock says
I Will try your bavarian cream recipe, sounds very good. My son is crazy about Napoleons but not matter where I buy them they are always a big disappointment.
Thank you,
Mercedes
Chef Billy Parisi says
Good luck!!!
Sandy says
I have been serving this to special occasions and the family loves it! Thank you Mr. Parisi … Merry Christmas!
Chef Billy Parisi says
oh amazing, glad they worked out for you! Merry Christmas to you too!
Steve says
i was wondering if u can make these a day or two in advance or will they get mushy
Chef Billy Parisi says
Maybe a day ahead of time. Just be sure not to pipe them with the filling until serving them.
Anne says
I wanted to use the bavarian cream portion if this recipe to fill 2 13×9″ sheet cakes. Will this be enough?
Thank you!
Chef Billy Parisi says
honestly I don’t know, it’s been a few years since I made this. I’m betting it will fill at least 1!
Anne says
Thanks. As you’re making the cream, instructions say to whisk egg mixture and scalded cream until thick. How thick is thick? Hollandaise sauce consistency? Pancake batter? Thanks!
Chef Billy Parisi says
Think alfredo sauce, the gelatin will thicken it and stabilize it while it’s chilling.
Lindsay says
gosh were these so good, spot on!
Deb H says
I tried Bavarian cream…1 ounce of gelatin is too much. Perhaps you meant a 1/4 ounce? I weighed everything.
Chef Billy Parisi says
You are totally right, that’s my fault! It was supposed to be 1 gelatin packet, which indeeds ways 1/4 of an ounce. I am sorry you went through the trouble of making this, I’m happy to pay you back for the ingredients you purchased.
Deb H says
Oh, goodness, no! That is the very kind, but I’ve been cooking professionally 17 years. If I’m not able to accept defeat & roll with the punches, then I don’t need to be in the kitchen that day. 🙂 Failure is just as necessary as success
Julie says
These look delish!
Chef Billy Parisi says
Thanks Julie, they are really simple to eat and delicious!
Gloria Shear says
Can u us vinalla
Gloria Shear says
Can I use vanilla extract and when would I add it?
Chef Billy Parisi says
to the cream or puffs?
Chef Billy Parisi says
yes!
Pepper says
In-laws loved it. Thanks! ?????
Chef Billy Parisi says
fantastic!!
Chef Billy Parisi says
Whisk in the gelatin/water mixture from step 2.
Mila Wentworth says
Hello I was just wondering how many puffs this makes !? Thank you haha
Chef Billy Parisi says
Hi Mila, it makes in between 15 to 20 :-). Thanks for your question!
Mila Wentworth says
Haha no problem!:) I know late reply but this recipe is amazing I can always trust your recipes! Thank you so much and I recently got this new flavor my uncle brought from france it’s orange blossom water and wanted to try it in the cream and see how it turns out. I’ve never use orange blossom water before and can’t wait to try it !