Cream puff facts for kids
A plate of cream puffs
|
A cream puff is a delicious French dessert that's like a little cloud of pastry filled with something yummy! It's made from a special kind of pastry dough shaped into a ball, then baked until it's light and hollow inside. After it cools, it's filled with sweet whipped cream, smooth custard, or even ice cream.
You might also hear cream puffs called by other names, like profiteroles or chou à la crème. They are a popular treat all around the world!
Contents
What is a Cream Puff?
A cream puff is a small, round pastry that's light and airy. The outside is slightly crisp, and the inside is hollow, perfect for holding a creamy filling. The dough used to make cream puffs is called choux pastry (pronounced "shoo"). This dough is unique because it puffs up a lot when baked, creating that hollow space.
Cream puffs are often served as a dessert, sometimes dusted with powdered sugar, drizzled with chocolate sauce, or glazed with a sweet icing. They are a classic treat that people of all ages enjoy.
The Special Choux Pastry
Choux pastry is different from other pastry doughs. It's made by cooking water, butter, and flour together on the stove until it forms a thick ball. Then, eggs are beaten into the mixture one by one. This process creates a dough that's very moist and sticky.
When this dough is baked at a high temperature, the water inside turns into steam. This steam pushes the dough outwards, making it puff up and create a large, hollow center. This is why choux pastry is perfect for making cream puffs, éclairs, and other filled pastries.
Popular Fillings for Cream Puffs
The best part of a cream puff is often its creamy filling! Here are some common and delicious options:
- Whipped cream: This is a light and airy cream, often sweetened with a little sugar and vanilla. It's a classic choice that makes the cream puff feel very light.
- Custard or pastry cream: This is a thicker, richer cream made with milk, sugar, egg yolks, and sometimes cornstarch. It has a smooth, velvety texture and a sweet, eggy flavor.
- Ice cream: For a cool treat, especially in warmer weather, cream puffs are sometimes filled with ice cream. This creates a delightful contrast between the soft pastry and the cold, melting ice cream.
- Chocolate ganache: Sometimes, cream puffs are filled with a rich chocolate cream or topped with a shiny chocolate glaze.
Where Do Cream Puffs Come From?
Cream puffs have a long history, going back to France in the 16th century. The choux pastry itself is believed to have been invented by a chef named Pantanelli, who worked for Catherine de' Medici, a French queen who was originally from Italy. Over time, the recipe for choux pastry evolved.
In the 18th century, a famous French chef named Antoine Carême perfected the choux pastry recipe and used it to create many different pastries, including the cream puff as we know it today. Since then, cream puffs have become a beloved dessert around the world, enjoyed in many different cultures.
Different Kinds of Cream Puffs
While the basic idea of a cream puff is the same, different countries and cultures have their own versions or similar pastries:
- In Germany, a large cream puff is called a Windbeutel, which means "wind bag" because of how light and airy it is.
- In the Czech Republic, there's a popular pastry called Větrník, which is a type of cream puff often filled with caramel cream.
- Cream puffs are also very popular in Japan, where they are known as "chou cream" and are often found in bakeries and convenience stores.
No matter what they're called or where they're from, cream puffs are a delightful and classic dessert that brings a smile to many faces!
Images for kids
-
Chou with chocolate ganache
-
German cream puff
-
Czech version
See also
In Spanish: Profiterol para niños
