Recipe
November 16, 2020
Cream Puffs With Cider-Caramelized Apples & Bourbon Cream

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 90 minutes
Cream puffs aren’t hard to create! Make the pastry and Bourbon Cream base up to two days ahead — just re-crisp the cream puffs in the oven, if needed.
Directions
Yield: Serves 8
Plan Ahead: The Bourbon Cream needs to chill for at least 2 hours before serving.
Make Bourbon Cream
- In small pot, bring milk, bourbon and vanilla to a boil. Set aside.
- In another small pot, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt, and whisk to combine. Add egg yolks and whisk until uniform.
- Add hot milk mixture to egg mixture in slow, steady stream, whisking until milk is fully incorporated. Place pot over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until it has thickened, then boiled.
- Immediately pour cream through strainer into clean bowl and whisk in butter. Press piece of plastic wrap into surface of cream and chill for 2 hours, or until fully cooled and thickened.
- Before serving, beat whipping cream to soft peaks and fold into base.
Make Cream Puffs
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and, spacing as far apart as possible, draw nine 2½” circles (turn paper over so pencil marks are underneath).
- In pot over medium-high heat, combine water, milk, butter, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil, add flour all at once and stir vigorously with wooden spoon for 4 minutes, or until mixture is smooth and shiny and pulls away from sides of pot leaving film of flour on bottom. The mixture won’t change much after 2 minutes, but keep stirring to dry out dough slightly.
- Scrape dough into bowl of stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment and add eggs one at a time, beating well between additions, until dough is shiny and thick.
- Transfer to piping bag fitted with large round tip, and pipe about ½ cup mounds to fill circles you’ve drawn.
- Bake for 20 minutes, then turn heat down to 375°F and bake for 15 more minutes, or until cream puffs are brown and crisp. Turn off heat, open oven door and let sit for 5 more minutes, or until outsides of dough feels dry and crisp. Remove from oven and transfer to rack to cool fully. (This recipe will make 1 more than needed: cook’s treat!)
Cook Apples
- Heat butter in large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add apples and sauté for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring, until lightly browned. Add cider, bring to a boil, and simmer briskly for 15 to 20 minutes, or until apples are tender and juices are syrupy. Let cool.
Assemble & Serve
- Slice open cream puffs. Divide apples between them. Spoon on Bourbon Cream and top with lid. Dust with icing sugar, if desired.
Photographer:
Stacey Brandford
Source:
House & Home November 2020