If you’re a fan of delicate pastries and soothing flavors, you’re about to fall head over heels for this Choux Pastry with Milk Tea Cream Recipe. Imagine golden, airy puffs filled with a luxuriously smooth cream infused with the rich, comforting notes of black tea and milk. This recipe beautifully marries the light, crisp texture of classic French choux pastry with the subtle complexity of milk tea cream, creating a treat that feels both elegant and warmly familiar. Perfect for impressing guests or indulging in a special afternoon delight, this dessert will quickly become one of your favorites to bake and share.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Gathering the right ingredients is key to nailing the texture and flavor of this recipe. Each component plays a vital role, whether it’s the moisture and richness from milk and butter for the pastry or the fragrant tea that infuses the cream filling with its signature taste.
- Water: Provides steam during baking, helping the choux pastry rise and become airy.
- Whole milk: Adds richness and tenderness to both the dough and the milk tea cream.
- Unsalted butter: Brings buttery flavor and contributes to the pastry’s flaky crispness.
- Salt: Enhances the overall taste and balances the sweetness in the cream.
- All-purpose flour: Forms the structure of the choux pastry, giving it that classic puffy shape.
- Large eggs: Provide moisture and help create the dough’s elasticity and lift.
- Vanilla extract: Optional, but a lovely addition to deepen the flavor of both dough and cream.
- Black tea leaves or tea bags: The heart of the milk tea cream, delivering fragrant, robust notes.
- Heavy cream: Makes the filling decadently smooth and creamy.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the milk tea cream without overpowering it.
- Cornstarch: Optional thickener for a custard-like consistency in the filling.
How to Make Choux Pastry with Milk Tea Cream Recipe
Step 1: Preparing the Choux Pastry Dough
Start by bringing together water, milk, butter, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter melts and the liquid begins to boil, add all the flour at once. Stir vigorously until the dough pulls away from the pan and forms a smooth ball. Let it cool slightly before moving to the next step.
Step 2: Incorporating the Eggs
Add eggs one at a time to the warm dough, mixing well after each addition. This gradual incorporation is crucial—it helps the dough become glossy and smooth, ensuring your choux will puff beautifully when baked.
Step 3: Piping and Baking
Fill a piping bag with the dough and pipe small rounds about an inch wide onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Keep them spaced apart since they will expand during baking. Bake in a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for 20-25 minutes until they’re golden and hollow sounding when tapped.
Step 4: Infusing the Milk Tea Cream
While the pastries cool, steep black tea in warm milk for around 5 minutes, then strain. Combine this tea-infused milk with heavy cream and sugar over low heat. If you desire a thicker cream, add cornstarch dissolved in some cold milk, cooking gently until custardy. Remove from heat, cool, and whisk in vanilla extract for a fragrant finish.
Step 5: Assembling the Choux Pastry with Milk Tea Cream Recipe
Carefully cut a small hole in the bottom of each choux puff and pipe the chilled milk tea cream inside. This filling adds a soft, flavorful surprise inside the crisp pastry shell. Serve right away or chill until you’re ready to enjoy.
How to Serve Choux Pastry with Milk Tea Cream Recipe
Garnishes
For an extra touch of charm, sprinkle powdered sugar lightly over the pastries or dust with finely crushed black tea leaves to echo the filling’s flavor. A few edible flowers or small tea leaves on the plate add a lovely visual and aromatic element that complements the dessert beautifully.
Side Dishes
This treat pairs wonderfully with a warm cup of tea, naturally, but also with subtly sweet fruit compotes such as berry or peach to add a burst of freshness that contrasts the creaminess. A scoop of lightly sweetened whipped cream or a drizzle of honey could also grace the side for those who want more indulgence.
Creative Ways to Present
Arrange your choux puffs in towers to mimic traditional profiteroles, or place them neatly on a platter with delicate garnishes for a refined tea party look. You might even slice each puff in half to create mini choux sandwiches using the milk tea cream as a luscious filling for a fun twist.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
If you find yourself with extras, keep the choux pastry and milk tea cream separate for best results. Store the puffs in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days to maintain their crispness. Refrigerate the cream filling in a sealed container for up to three days.
Freezing
Choux pastry can be frozen baked but unfilled. Place them in a freezer-safe container after cooling completely. When ready to enjoy, thaw at room temperature and fill with freshly made or thawed milk tea cream. The cream filling itself is not ideal for freezing as it may separate upon thawing.
Reheating
To refresh the choux’s crisp texture after storage, warm the puffs in an oven at low heat for a few minutes before filling. Avoid reheating the cream; serve it chilled or at room temperature after whisking gently if necessary.
FAQs
Can I use tea bags instead of loose tea leaves for the milk tea cream?
Absolutely! Tea bags work wonderfully and often provide a convenient way to infuse your milk. Just make sure to steep the tea long enough to get a rich flavor, but not too long to avoid bitterness.
Is there a way to make the filling thicker without cornstarch?
Yes, you can simmer the cream mixture a bit longer to naturally reduce it and thicken, or alternatively, incorporate some mascarpone or cream cheese to add body and richness without needing cornstarch.
Can I make the choux pastry dough ahead of time?
While the dough can be prepared in advance, it’s best to pipe and bake the puffs right before serving day for optimal puffiness and texture. However, the dough can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours if needed.
What’s the best way to pipe the choux pastry?
Using a large round piping tip creates round, consistent puffs, but feel free to experiment with star tips for a decorative texture. Just keep the size uniform to ensure even baking.
Can I substitute heavy cream in the milk tea cream filling?
You can try using whipping cream or a combination of milk and cream to lighten the filling, but heavy cream gives the richest, creamiest texture that complements the choux pastry best.
Final Thoughts
There’s something incredibly satisfying about crafting a Choux Pastry with Milk Tea Cream Recipe that brings delicate French technique together with the comforting flavors of milk tea. It’s a dessert that invites smiles and second helpings, perfect for sharing or savoring quietly with your favorite cup of tea. Give it a go—you might just find this charming treat becomes a beloved staple in your baking repertoire!
Print
Choux Pastry with Milk Tea Cream Recipe
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French-Asian Fusion
Description
This delightful recipe features light, airy choux pastry puffs filled with a smooth, aromatic milk tea cream. Perfect as an elegant dessert or a fancy snack, the choux pastry is baked to golden perfection and filled with creamy, subtly sweet milk tea custard, combining classic French technique with a popular Asian tea flavor.
Ingredients
For the Choux Pastry:
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) water
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
For the Milk Tea Cream Filling:
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk
- 2 teaspoons black tea leaves (or 2 tea bags)
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional, for thickening)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside to prepare for piping the choux pastry dough.
- Heat Liquid Ingredients: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine water, whole milk, unsalted butter, and salt. Heat the mixture until the butter melts and the liquid reaches a boil.
- Add Flour and Form Dough: Quickly add all the flour at once to the boiling liquid. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the dough becomes smooth and pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly.
- Incorporate Eggs: When the dough is cool enough to handle but still warm, add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition until the dough turns smooth and glossy.
- Add Vanilla Extract: Stir in vanilla extract if using, to infuse extra flavor into the dough.
- Pipe the Dough: Transfer the dough into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe small rounds about 1 inch in diameter onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them apart to allow for expansion during baking.
- Bake Choux Pastry: Bake for 20-25 minutes until the puffs are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
- Steep the Tea: In a small saucepan, heat the milk with black tea leaves or tea bags until just simmering. Remove from heat and steep for 5 minutes. Strain out the tea leaves or bags.
- Make Milk Tea Cream: Return the strained milk to the saucepan, add heavy cream and sugar. Stir over low heat until sugar completely dissolves and mixture is combined.
- Thicken Cream (Optional): For a thicker custard-like cream, dissolve cornstarch in a little cold milk and add to the mixture. Heat gently until the cream thickens, then remove from heat and let cool.
- Add Vanilla to Cream: When the milk tea cream is cooled to room temperature, whisk in vanilla extract to enhance the flavor.
- Assemble the Pastries: Cut a small hole in the bottom of each cooled choux puff and pipe the milk tea cream filling inside. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to enjoy.
Notes
- Ensure the dough is cool enough before adding eggs to avoid cooking them prematurely.
- Use a piping bag with a round tip for uniform, well-shaped puffs.
- Do not open the oven door during the first 15 minutes of baking to prevent the pastry from collapsing.
- Tea quality affects the flavor—opt for a good-quality black tea like Assam or Earl Grey for best results.
- The optional cornstarch thickening makes the cream easier to pipe and hold shape inside the choux.
- Store filled pastries in the refrigerator for up to 2 days for best freshness.
