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Perfect Elegant Strawberry Cream Puff Tower Recipe for Special Occasions

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An elegant and fun dessert featuring crispy choux pastry puffs filled with luscious cream and fresh strawberries, stacked into a beautiful tower perfect for celebrations.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (240 ml) water
  • 8 tablespoons (115 g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream, well chilled
  • 1/4 cup (30 g) powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Optional: 2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
  • 2 cups (300 g) fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • Powdered sugar for dusting
  • Fresh mint leaves (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Prepare two baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper or silicone mats.
  2. In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup (240 ml) water, 8 tablespoons (115 g) unsalted butter, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Heat over medium until the butter melts and the mixture begins to boil.
  3. Remove from heat and add 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 1-2 minutes.
  4. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
  5. Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl. Using a mixer on medium speed, beat in 4 large eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next. The dough should be smooth, shiny, and thick enough to hold its shape when piped.
  6. Fill a piping bag with the dough and pipe small rounds (about 1.5 inches/4 cm in diameter) onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches (5 cm) apart. You should get around 24 puffs.
  7. Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake for an additional 20 minutes until puffed, golden, and crisp. Avoid opening the oven door during baking.
  8. Transfer the puffs onto cooling racks and let them cool completely before filling.
  9. In a chilled bowl, combine 1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream, 1/4 cup (30 g) powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Whip on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Fold in 2 tablespoons softened cream cheese if using.
  10. Toss 2 cups (300 g) sliced strawberries with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and let sit for 10 minutes to macerate.
  11. Slice the tops off each cream puff. Spoon or pipe the cream filling into the bottom halves, add a few strawberry slices, then gently place the tops back on.
  12. Stack the filled puffs carefully in a pyramid or tower shape on your serving plate or cake stand.
  13. Dust the assembled tower lightly with powdered sugar and garnish with fresh mint leaves if desired.

Notes

Do not open the oven door during the first 15 minutes of baking to prevent the puffs from collapsing. Chill the whipping cream and bowl before whipping for better volume. Smaller, uniform puffs stack better and look prettier. You can bake puffs a day ahead and store in an airtight container. For a stronger tower hold, melted chocolate or caramel can be used as glue between layers but is optional.

Nutrition

Keywords: strawberry cream puff tower, cream puffs, choux pastry, elegant dessert, special occasion dessert, fresh strawberries, whipped cream filling

Find it online: https://emmaoven.com/perfect-elegant-strawberry-cream-puff-tower-recipe-for-special-occasions/