Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Several Choux Swans on a white plate

Cream Puff Swans


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

Description

These beautiful cream puff swans (choux pastries) are filled with a decadent chocolate ganache, orange-zested Chantilly cream, and topped with icing sugar.


Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Cream Puffs

  • 8 tbsp Butter, unsalted
  • 1 cup Water, cold
  • 3/4 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Sugar
  • 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
  • 4 Large Eggs
  • 1 Egg Yolk (mixed with 1 tbsp Water), for egg wash
  • Icing Sugar, for dusting

For Chantilly Cream

  • 1 cup Whipping Cream
  • 1 tbsp Icing Sugar
  • 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 4 tbsp Orange Zest (about one large orange)

For Chocolate Ganache

  • 3oz Dark Chocolate
  • 1/4 cup Whipping Cream, boiling
  • 1 tbsp Honey

Instructions

For the Cream Puffs:

  1. Set oven to 425 degrees F.
  2. Mix butter, water, salt, and sugar in a pan over heat, and bring to a boil.
  3. Add flour, remove from heat and mix until the flour is incorporated (you’re looking for a texture similar to mashed potatoes).
  4. Return to a medium heat and mix until the ‘dough (“panade”) is dry – the dough will be quite smooth, pull off the side of the pan, and start coating the pan with a sort of film.
  5. Switch the panade into a cold bowl, mix thoroughly to cool, and thoroughly beat in eggs one at a time until the batter is blended, smooth and pipe-able. Depending on how dry your panade was in the previous step (and possibly the humidity of your kitchen!), the fourth egg may not be required.
  6. Pipe your desired shape on to parchment, and brush lightly with the egg wash.
  7. Note: If you’d like the swan shape, you’ll need to pipe bodies and necks/heads on to separate trays as necks require half the baking time. Cut the top off the bodies and slice the cut portion in half to use as wings. Pipe in the ganache, and then the whipped cream on top.
  8. If you’re uncomfortable with the shapes needed to make swans, simply pipe out small, fat circles (once they’re baked, you can fill them by cutting off the top and sandwiching the fillings, or by piping the fillings in using a piping nozzle).
  9. Bake for approximately 20-minutes without opening the oven door, or until the tops have firmed. Turn off the heat, leave the oven door slightly ajar, and let the pastry cool in the oven for a further 10 minutes before removing.
  10. Fill with chocolate ganache, and Chantilly cream. And dust with icing sugar. Ideally, refrigerate the cream puffs for an hour before serving.

For the Chantilly Cream:

  1. Whip the cream, icing sugar, and vanilla extract until the desired consistency is reached. (I personally like something just more than a soft peak, but not completely stiff.) Fold in orange zest.

For the Chocolate Ganache:

  1. Melt the chocolate in the boiling cream, and mix in the honey until all ingredients are completely incorporated and put in the fridge to cool.

Notes

Check the post above for more details and photos on how to pipe the cream puff swans! 

  • Prep Time: 45 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: Desserts
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: French
Maple syrup being poured on to a stack of three Japanese souffle pancakes.

8 Secrets to Perfect Pancakes

Tips & recipes to get the

most out of your pancakes!